"
It was in effect arranged so. My aunt took me about the
country from one watering place to another; from Saratoga to
the White Mountains; and Preston's being with us made it a gay
time. Preston had been for two years at West Point; he was
grown and improved everybody said; but to me he was just the
same. If anything, _not_ improved; the old grace and
graciousness of his manner was edged with an occasional
hardness or abruptness which did not use to belong to him; and
which I did not understand. There seemed to be a latent cause
of irritation somewhere.
However, my summer went off smoothly enough. September brought
me back to Mme. Ricard's, and in view of Miss Cardigan's late
roses and budding chrysanthemums. I was not sorry. I had set
my heart on doing as much as could be done in these next two
years, if two they must be.
I was the first in my room; but before the end of the day they
all came pouring in; the two older and the two younger girls.
"Here's somebody already," exclaimed Miss Macy as she saw me.
Pages:
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380