I am not ungenerous, and I am going to do
him a favor. I shall write, and urge him
not to bring his wife here. A primitive
woman, with the north star in her hair,
would look well down there in the Casino
eating a pineapple ice, wouldn't she? It's
all very well to have a soul, you know; but
it won't keep you from looking like a guy
among women who have good dressmakers.
I shudder at the thought of what the poor
thing will suffer if he brings her here."

Jessica wrote, as she said she would; but,
for all that, a fortnight later she was walking
down the wharf with the "mountain woman,"
and I was sauntering beside Leroy. At
dinner Jessica gave me no chance to talk
with our friend's wife, and I only caught
the quiet contralto tones of her voice now
and then contrasting with Jessica's vivacious
soprano. A drizzling rain came up from
the east with nightfall. Little groups of
shivering men and women sat about in the
parlors at the card-tables, and one blond
woman sang love songs. The Brainards
were tired with their journey, and left us
early. When they were gone, Jessica burst
into eulogy.

"That is the first woman," she declared,