TOMYFAVOURITEBROKERWITHTHEEARNESTASSURANCETHATMR。BEVERLYISNOT
　　MEANTFORHIM
　　NOTE
　　IN1901，thisstoryappearedanonymouslyastheninthofasequenceofshortstoriesbyvariousauthors，inavolumeentitledAHouseParty。Ithasbeenslightlyremodelledforseparatepublication。
　　June7，1907，OWENWISTER
　　MOTHER
　　WhenhandsomeyoungRichardFieldhewasveryhandsomeandveryyoung
　　announcedtoourassembledcompanythatifhisturnshouldreallycometotellusastory，thestoryshouldbenoinventionofhisfancy，butapageoftruth，achapterfromhisownlife，inwhichhimselfwastheheroandalovely，innocentgirlwastheheroine，hiswifeatoncelookedextremelyuncomfortable。Shechangedtherecliningpositioninwhichshehadbeenleaningbackinherchair，andshesaterect，withahandcloseduponeacharmofthechair。
　　"Richard，"shesaid。"doyouthinkthatitisrightofyoutotellanyone，evenfriends，anythingthatyouhaveneveryetconfessedtome？"
　　"Ethel，"repliedRichard，"althoughIcannotpromisethatyouwillbeentirelyproudofmyconductwhenyouhaveheardthisepisodeofmypast，IdosaythatthereisnothinginittohurtthetrustyouhaveplacedinmesinceIhavebeenyourhusband。Only，"headded，"IhopethatIshallnothavetotellanystoryatall。"
　　"Oh，yesyouwill！"weallexclaimedtogether；andthemenlookedeagerwhilethewomensighed。
　　TherestofusweremucholderthanRichard，weweremiddle-aged，infact；andhumannatureissoconstructed，thatwhenitisattheagewhenmakinglovekeepsitbusy，itdoesnotcaresomuchtolistentotalesofothers'love-making；butthemoreitrecedesfromthatperiodofexuberance，andceasestohaveloveadventuresofitsown，thegreaterbecomeitshungerandthirsttohearaboutthisdeliciousbusinesswhichitcannolongerpersonallypracticewiththefluencyofyore。Itwasforthisreasonthatweallyearnedinourmiddle-agedwayforthetaleoflovewhichweexpectedfromyoungRichard。He，onhispart，repeatedthehopethatbythetimehisturntotellastorywasreachedweshouldbetiredofstoriesandprefertospendtheeveningatthecardtablesorinthemusicroom。
　　Wewereahouseparty，nobrief"week-end"affair，butagatheringwhoseperiodformostoftheguestscoveredagenerousandleisurelytendays，withenoughdeparturesandarrivalstogivethatvarietywhichisnecessaryamongeventhemostentertainingandagreeablepeople。Ourskilfulhostesshadassembledusinthecountry，beneatharoofofNewYorkluxury，aluxurywhichhascomeintheselaterdaystobesomuchmorethanprincely。Byday，thegroundsaffordedusbothgolfandtennis，thestablesprovidedmotorcarsandhorsestorideordriveoveradmirableroads，throughbeautifulscenerythatwasembellishedbyamagnificentautumnseason。Atnightfall，thegreathouseitselfreceivedusinthearmsofsupremecomfort，fedussumptuously，andafterdinnerministeredtoourmiddle-agedbodieswithchairsandsofasofthehighestdevelopment。
　　Theplandevisedbyourhostess，Mrs。Davenport，thatastoryshouldbetoldbyoneofuseachevening，hadmetwithcourtesy，butnotIwithimmediateenthusiasm。ButMrs。Davenporthadchosenherguestswithherusualwisdom，andafterthefirstexperiment，storytellingprovedsosuccessfulthatnoneofuswouldhavereadilyabandonedit。WhenthetimehadcomeforRichardFieldtoentertainthecompanywiththepromisedtalefromhislifeexperience，hishopeofescapingthisordealhadaltogethervanished。
　　Mrs。Field，ithadbeennoticedasearlyasbreakfasttime，wasinclinedtobenervousonherhusband'saccount。Fiveyearsofmarriedlifehadnotcuredherofthisamiablesymptom，andshemadebutalightmeal。He，ontheotherhand，ateheartilyandwithoutsignsofdisturbance。
　　Apparentlyhewasnotevenconsciousoftheglancesthathiswifesofrequentlystoleathim。
　　"Doatleasthavesomeomelet，mydear，"whisperedMrs。Davenporturgently。"It'squitelight。"
　　ButMrs。Fieldcouldsummonnoappetite。
　　"Iseeyouareanxiousabouthim，"Mrs。Davenportcontinuedafterbreakfast。"Youaresurelynotafraidhisstorywillfailtointerestus？"
　　"No，itisnotthat。"
　　"Itcan'tbethathehasgivenuptheoneheexpectedtotellusandcanthinkofnoother？"
　　"Oh，no；heisgoingtotellthatone。"
　　"Andyoudon'tlikehischoice？"
　　"Hewon'ttellmewhatitis！"Mrs。Davenportputdownherembroidery。
　　"Then，Ethel，"shelaidwithseverity，"thefaultisyours。WhenIhadbeenfiveyearsmarried，Mr。Davenportconfidedeverythingtome。"
　　"SodoesRichard。ExceptwhenIparticularlyaskhim。"
　　"Thereitis，Ethel。Youlethimseethatyouwanttoknow。"
　　"ButIdowanttoknow。Richardhashadsuchinterestingexperiences，somanyofthem。AndIdosowanthimtotellathoroughlyniceone。There'stheonewhenhesavedamanfromdrowningjustbelowourhouse，thesecondsummer，andthemanturnedouttobeaburglarandbrokeintothepantrythatverynight，andRichardcaughthiminthedarkwithjustasmuchcourageashehadcaughthiminthewaterandjustasfewclothes，onlyitwassodifferent。Richardmakesitquitethrilling。AndI
　　mentionedanothertohim。Buthejustwentonshaving。Andnowhehasgoneoutwalking，andIbelieveit'sgoingtobesomethingIwouldrathernothear。ButImeantohearit。"
　　AtlunchMrs。Fieldmadeabettermeal，althoughitwascleartoMrs。
　　DavenportthatRichardonreturningfromhiswalkhadstillkepthisintentionsfromEthel。"Shedoesnotmanagehimintheleast，"Mrs。
　　Davenportdeclaredtotheotherladies，asEthelandRichardstartedforanafternoondrivetogether。"Shewillnotknowanythingmorewhenshebringshimback。"
　　ButinthisMrs。DavenportdidwrongtoEthel'sresources。Theyoungwifedidknowsomethingmorewhenshebroughtherhusbandbackfromtheirdrivethroughthepleasantcountry。Theyreturnedlookinglikeanengagedcouple，ratherthanparentswhosenurserywasalreadyasongofthreelittlevoices。
　　"Hehastoldher，"thoughtMrs。Davenportatthefirstsightofthem，astheyenteredthedrawing-roomforanafternoontea。"Shedoesunderstandsomethings。"
　　Andwhenafterdinnertheladieshadwithdrawntothelibrary，andwaitedforthementofinishtheircigars，Mrs。DavenportspoketoEthel。"Mydear，Icongratulateyou。Isawitatonce。"