"She was traveling with Mr. and Mrs. Selden--you know John Selden. She has lived with Mrs. Selden ever since she left school; they were friends when they were girls together." Cleve gathered up his reins, and nodding to Mr. Frank Belmar, drove at a finable rate up the avenue and through the park. He could not trust himself to speak to any one, and when he did, the remark which he made to himself in strict confidence was not flattering. For once Mr. Cleve Sullivan told Mr. Cleve Sullivan that he had been badly punished, and that he well deserved it. THE TWO MR. SMITHS. "It is not either her money or her position that dashes me, Carrol; it is my own name. Think of asking Eleanor Bethune to become Mrs. William Smith! If it had been Alexander Smith--" "Or Hyacinth Smith." "Yes, Hyacinth Smith would have done; but plain William Smith!" "Well, as far as I can see, you are not to blame. Apologize to the lady for the blunder of your godfathers and godmothers. Stupid old parties! They ought to have thought of Hyacinth;" and Carrol threw his cigar into the fire and began to buckle on his spurs. "Come with me, Carrol." "No, thank you. It is against my principles to like anyone better than myself, and Alice Fontaine is a temptation to do so." "_I_ don't like Alice's style at all." "Of course not. Alice's beauty, as compared with Mrs. Bethune's settled income, is skin-deep." If sarcasm was intended, Smith did not perceive it. He took the criticism at its face value, and answered, "Yes, Eleanor's income is satisfactory; and besides that, she has all kinds of good qualities, and several accomplishments. If I only could offer her, with myself, a suitable name for them!" "Could you not, in taking Mrs. Bethune and her money, take her name also?" "N-n-no. A man does not like to lose all his individuality in his wife's, Carrol." "Well, then, I have no other suggestion, and I am going to ride." So Carrol went to the park, and Smith went to his mirror. The occupation gave him the courage he wanted. He was undoubtedly a very handsome man, and he had, also, very fine manners; indeed, he would have been a very great man if the world had only been a drawing-room, for, polished and fastidious, he dreaded nothing so much as an indecorum, and had the air of being uncomfortable unless his hands were in kid gloves. Smith had a standing invitation to Mrs. Bethune's five-o'clock teas, and he was always considered an acquisition. He was also very fond of going to them; for under no circumstances was Mrs. Bethune so charming. To see her in this hour of perfect relaxation was to understand how great and beautiful is the art of idleness. Her ease and grace, her charming aimlessness, her indescribable air of inaction, were all so many proofs of her having been born in the purple of wealth and fashion; no parvenu could ever hope to imitate them.