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customary good humor and simplicity； she measured it more accurately；
and she felt acutely that if Lord Lambeth's position was heroic；
there was but little of the hero in the young man himself。
Then her imagination wandered away from himvery far away； for it was
an incontestable fact that at such moments he seemed distinctly dull。
I am afraid that while Bessie's imagination was thus invidiously
roaming； she cannot have been herself a very lively companion；
but it may well have been that these occasional fits of indifference
seemed to Lord Lambeth a part of the young girl's personal charm。
It had been a part of this charm from the first that he felt
that she judged him and measured him more freely and irresponsibly
more at her ease and her leisure； as it werethan several young
ladies with whom he had been on the whole about as intimate。
To feel this； and yet to feel that she also liked him； was very agreeable
to Lord Lambeth。 He fancied he had compassed that gratification so
desirable to young men of title and fortunebeing liked for himself。
It is true that a cynical counselor might have whispered to him；
〃Liked for yourself？ Yes； but not so very much！〃 He had； at any rate；
the constant hope of being liked more。
It may seem； perhaps； a trifle singularbut it is nevertheless true
that Bessie Alden； when he struck her as dull； devoted some time；
on grounds of conscience； to trying to like him more。
I say on grounds of conscience because she felt that he had
been extremely 〃nice〃 to her sister； and because she reflected
that it was no more than fair that she should think as well
of him as he thought of her。 This effort was possibly sometimes
not so successful as it might have been； for the result
of it was occasionally a vague irritation； which expressed
itself in hostile criticism of several British institutions。
Bessie Alden went to some entertainments at which she met
Lord Lambeth； but she went to others at which his lordship was
neither actually nor potentially present； and it was chiefly
on these latter occasions that she encountered those literary
and artistic celebrities of whom mention has been made。
After a while she reduced the matter to a principle。
If Lord Lambeth should appear anywhere； it was a symbol that
there would be no poets and philosophers； and in consequence
for it was almost a strict consequenceshe used to enumerate
to the young man these objects of her admiration。
〃You seem to be awfully fond of those sort of people；〃 said Lord
Lambeth one day； as if the idea had just occurred to him。
〃They are the people in England I am most curious to see；〃
Bessie Alden replied。
〃I suppose that's because you have read so much；〃 said Lord Lambeth gallantly。
〃I have not read so much。 It is because we think so much of them at home。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 observed the young nobleman。 〃In Boston。〃
〃Not only in Boston； everywhere；〃 said Bessie。 〃We hold them in great honor；
they go to the best dinner parties。〃
〃I daresay you are right。 I can't say I know many of them。〃
〃It's a pity you don't；〃 Bessie Alden declared。
〃It would do you good。〃
〃I daresay it would；〃 said Lord Lambeth very humbly。
〃But I must say I don't like the looks of some of them。〃
〃Neither do Iof some of them。 But there are all kinds；
and many of them are charming。〃
〃I have talked with two or three of them；〃 the young man went on；
〃and I thought they had a kind of fawning manner。〃
〃Why should they fawn？〃 Bessie Alden demanded。
〃I'm sure I don't know。 Why； indeed？〃
〃Perhaps you only thought so；〃 said Bessie。
〃Well； of course；〃 rejoined her companion； 〃that's a kind of thing
that can't be proved。〃
〃In America they don't fawn；〃 said Bessie。
〃Ah； well； then； they must be better company。〃
Bessie was silent a moment。 〃That is one of the things I don't like
about England；〃 she said； 〃your keeping the distinguished people apart。〃
〃How do you mean apart？〃
〃Why； letting them come only to certain places。
You never see them。〃
Lord Lambeth looked at her a moment。 〃What people do you mean？〃
〃The eminent peoplethe authors and artiststhe clever people。〃
〃Oh； there are other eminent people besides those；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃Well； you certainly keep them apart；〃 repeated the young girl。
〃And there are other clever people；〃 added Lord Lambeth simply。
Bessie Alden looked at him； and she gave a light laugh。
〃Not many；〃 she said。
On another occasionjust after a dinner partyshe told him
that there was something else in England she did not like。
〃Oh； I say！〃 he cried； 〃haven't you abused us enough？〃
〃I have never abused you at all；〃 said Bessie； 〃but I don't
like your PRECEDENCE。〃
〃It isn't my precedence！〃 Lord Lambeth declared； laughing。
〃Yes； it is yoursjust exactly yours； and I think it's odious；〃 said Bessie。
〃I never saw such a young lady for discussing things！
Has someone had the impudence to go before you？〃
asked his lordship。
〃It is not the going before me that I object to；〃 said Bessie；
〃it is their thinking that they have a right to do it。〃
〃I never saw such a young lady as you are for not 'recognizing。'
I have no doubt the thing is BEASTLY； but it saves a lot of trouble。〃
〃It makes a lot of trouble。 It's horrid；〃 said Bessie。
〃But how would you have the first people go？〃 asked Lord Lambeth。
〃They can't go last。〃
〃Whom do you mean by the first people？〃
〃Ah； if you mean to question first principles！〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃If those are your first principles； no wonder some of your arrangements
are horrid；〃 observed Bessie Alden with a very pretty ferocity。
〃I am a young girl； so of course I go last； but imagine what Kitty must
feel on being informed that she is not at liberty to budge until certain
other ladies have passed out。〃
〃Oh； I say； she is not 'informed！'〃 cried Lord Lambeth。
〃No one would do such a thing as that。〃
〃She is made to feel it；〃 the young girl insisted〃as if they were afraid
she would make a rush for the door。 No； you have a lovely country；〃
said Bessie Alden； 〃but your precedence is horrid。〃
〃I certainly shouldn't think your sister would like it；〃
rejoined Lord Lambeth with even exaggerated gravity。
But Bessie Alden could induce him to enter no formal protest
against this repulsive custom； which he seemed to think
an extreme convenience。
Percy Beaumont all this time had been a very much less
frequent visitor at Jones's Hotel than his noble kinsman；
he had； in fact； called but twice upon the two American ladies。
Lord Lambeth； who often saw him； reproached him with his neglect
and declared that； although Mrs。 Westgate had said nothing
about it； he was sure that she was secretly wounded by it。
〃She suffers too much to speak；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃That's all gammon；〃 said Percy Beaumont； 〃there's a limit