Hewasadmittedtotheirsacredtableatthetabled'hote，asnowyoblonginanairyalcove，wheretheHonourableMrs。Dennant，MissDennant，andtheHonourableCharlottePenguin，amaidenauntwithinsufficientlungs，sattwiceadayintheirownatmosphere。A
　　momentaryweaknesscameonSheltonthefirsttimehesawthemsittingthereatlunch。Whatwasitgavethemtheirlookofstrangedetachment？Mrs。Dennantwasbendingaboveacamera。
　　"I'mafraid，d'youknow，it'sunder-exposed，"shesaid。
　　"Whatapity!Thekittenwasrathernice!"Themaidenaunt，placingtheknittingofaredsilktiebesideherplate，turnedheraspiring，well-bredgazeonShelton。
　　"Look，Auntie，"saidAntoniainherclear，quickvoice，"there'sthefunnylittlemanagain!"
　　"Oh，"saidthemaidenaunt——asmilerevealedherupperteeth；shelookedforthefunnylittlemanwhowasnotEnglish——"he'srathernice!"
　　Sheltondidnotlookforthefunnylittleman；hestoleaglancethatbarelyreachedAntonia'sbrow，wherehereyebrowstooktheirtinyupwardslantattheoutercorners，andherhairwasstillruffledbyawindywalk。Fromthatmomenthebecameherslave。
　　"Mr。Shelton，doyouknowanythingabouttheseperiscopicbinoculars？"saidMrs。Dennant'svoice；"they'resplendidforbuildin's，butbuildin'saresodisappointin'。Thethingistogethumaninterest，isn'tit？"andherglancewanderedabsentlypastSheltoninsearchofhumaninterest。
　　"Youhaven'tputdownwhatyou'vetaken，mother。"
　　>FromalittleleatherbagMrs。Dennanttookalittleleatherbook。
　　"It'ssoeasytoforgetwhatthey'reabout，"shesaid，"that'ssoannoyin'。"
　　Sheltonwasnotagainvisitedbyhisuneasinessattheirdetachment；
　　heacceptedthemandalltheirworks，fortherewassomethingquitesublimeaboutthewaythattheywouldleavethedining-room，unconsciousthattheythemselveswerefunnytoallthepeopletheyhadfoundsofunnywhiletheyhadbeensittingthere，andhewouldfollowthemoutunnecessarilyuprightandfeelinglikeafool。
　　Intheensuingfortnight，chaperonedbythemaidenaunt，forMrs。
　　Dennantdislikeddriving，hesatoppositetoAntoniaduringmanydrives；heplayedsetsoftenniswithher；butitwasintheeveningsafterdinner——thoselongeveningsonaparquetfloorinwickerchairsdraggedasfarasmightbefromtheheatingapparatus——thatheseemedsoverynearher。Thecommunityofisolationdrewthemcloser。Inplaceofacompanionhehadassumedthepartoffriend，towhomshecouldconfideallherhome-sickaspirations。Sothat，evenwhenshewassittingsilent，aslim，longfootstretchedoutinfront，bendingwithanairofcoolabsorptionoversomepencilsketcheswhichshewouldnotshowhim——eventhen，byherveryattitude，bythesweetfreshnessthatclungabouther，byherquick，offendedglancesatthestrangepersonsround，sheseemedtoacknowledgeinsomesecretwaythathewasnecessary。Hewasfarfromrealisingthis；hisintellectualandobservantpartswerehypnotisedandfascinatedevenbyherfailings。Thefaintfrecklingacrosshernose，theslimandvirginalseverenessofherfigure，withitsnarrowhipsandarms，thecurveofherlongneck-allwereaddedcharms。Shehadthewindandrainlook，atasteofhome；andovertheglaringroads，wherethepalm-treeshadowslaysoblack，sheseemedtopassliketheveryimageofanEnglishday。
　　Oneafternoonhehadtakenhertoplaytenniswithsomefriends，andafterwardstheystrolledontoherfavouriteview。DowntheToulonroadgardensandhillswerebathedinthecolourofripeapricot；aneveningcrispnesshadstolenontheair；theblood，releasedfromthesun'snumbing，rangladlyintheveins。OntherighthandoftheroadwasaFrenchmanplayingbowls。Enormous，busy，pleased，anduprightasasoldier，patheticallytrottinghisvastcarcassfromendtoend，hedelightedShelton。ButAntoniathrewasinglelookatthehugecreature，andherfaceexpresseddisgust。Shebeganrunninguptowardstheruinedtower。
　　Sheltonletherkeepinfront，watchingherleapfromstonetostoneandthrowbackdefiantglanceswhenhepressedbehind。Shestoodatthetop，andhelookedupather。Overtheworld，gloriouslyspreadbelow，she，likeastatue，seemedtorule。Thecolourwasbrilliantinhercheeks，heryoungbosomheaved，hereyesshone，andtheflowingdroopofherlong，fullsleevesgavetoherpoisedfigurethelookofonewhoflies。Hepulledhimselfupandstoodbesideher；
　　hisheartchokedhim，allthecolourhadlefthischeeks。
　　"Antonia，"hesaid，"Iloveyou。"
　　Shestarted，asifhiswhisperhadintrudedonherthoughts；buthisfacemusthaveexpressedhishunger，fortheresentmentinhereyesvanished。
　　Theystoodforseveralminuteswithoutspeaking，andthenwenthome。
　　Sheltonpainfullyrevolvedtheriddleofthecolourinherface。Hadheachancethen？Wasitpossible？ThateveningtheinstinctvouchsafedattimestoloversinplaceofreasoncausedhimtopackhisbagandgotoCannes。Onreturning，twodayslater，andapproachingthegroupinthecentreoftheWinterGarden，thevoiceofthemaidenauntreadingaloudanextractfromtheMorningPostreachedhimacrosstheroom。
　　"Don'tyouthinkthat'srathernice？"heheardherask，andthen:
　　"Oh，hereyouaye!It'sverynicetoseeyouback!"
　　Sheltonslippedintoawickerchair。Antonialookedupquicklyfromhersketch-book，putoutahand，butdidnotspeak。
　　Hewatchedherbendinghead，andhiseagernesswaschangedtogloom。
　　Withdesperatevivacityhesustainedthefiveintolerableminutesofinquiry，wherehadhebeen，whathadhebeendoing？ThenonceagainthemaidenauntcommencedherextractsfromtheMorningPost。
　　Atouchonhissleevestartledhim。Antoniawasleaningforward；hercheekswerecrimsonabovethepallorofherneck。
　　"Wouldyouliketoseemysketches？"
　　ToShelton，bendingabovethosesketches，thatdrawlofthewell-bredmaidenauntintoningthewell-bredpaperwasthemostpleasantsoundthathehadeverlistenedto。
　　"MydearDick，"Mrs。Dennantsaidtohimafortnightlater，"wewouldrather，afteryouleavehere，thatyoudon'tseeeachotheragainuntilJuly。OfcourseIknowyoucountitanengagementandallthat，andeverybody'sbeenwritin'tocongratulateyou。ButAlgiethinksyououghttogiveyourselvesachance。Youngpeopledon'talwaysknowwhatthey'reabout，youknow；it'snotlongtowait。"
　　"Threemonths!"gaspedShelton。
　　Hehadtoswallowdownthispillwithwhatgracehecouldcommand。
　　Therewasnoalternative。Antoniahadacquiescedintheconditionwithaqueer，gravepleasure，asifsheexpectedittodohergood。
　　"It'llbesomethingtolookforwardto，Dick，"shesaid。
　　Hepostponeddepartureaslongaspossible，anditwasnotuntiltheendofAprilthatheleftforEngland。Shecamealonetoseehimoff。Itwasdrizzling，buthertall，slightfigureinthegolfcapelookedimpervioustocoldandrainamongsttheshiveringnatives。
　　Desperatelyheclutchedherhand，warmthroughthewetglove；hersmileseemedheartlessinitsbrilliancy。Hewhispered"Youwillwrite？"
　　"Ofcourse；don'tbesostupid，youoldDick!"
　　Sheranforwardasthetrainbegantomove；herclear"Good-bye!"
　　soundedshrillandhardabovetherumbleofthewheels。Hesawherraiseherhand，anumbrellawaving，andlastofall，vividstillamongstrecedingshapes，theredspotofherscarlettam-o'-shanter。