its view of the ocean, close at hand, tumbling along the base of the low
cliffs whose level tops intervened in lawnlike smoothness, it formed
a charming complement to the drawing room. As such it was in course
of use at the present moment; it was occupied by a social circle.
There were several ladies and two or three gentlemen, to whom
Mrs. Westgate proceeded to introduce the distinguished strangers.
She mentioned a great many names very freely and distinctly;
the young Englishmen, shuffling about and bowing, were rather bewildered.
But at last they were provided with chairs--low, wicker chairs,
gilded, and tied with a great many ribbons--and one of the ladies
(a very young person, with a little snub nose and several dimples)
offered Percy Beaumont a fan. The fan was also adorned with pink
love knots; but Percy Beaumont declined it, although he was very hot.
Presently, however, it became cooler; the breeze from the sea
was delicious, the view was charming, and the people sitting there
looked exceedingly fresh and comfortable. Several of the ladies
seemed to be young girls, and the gentlemen were slim, fair youths,
such as our friends had seen the day before in New York.
The ladies were working upon bands of tapestry, and one of the young
men had an open book in his lap. Beaumont afterward learned
from one of the ladies that this young man had been reading aloud,
that he was from Boston and was very fond of reading aloud.
Beaumont said it was a great pity that they had interrupted him;
he should like so much (from all he had heard) to hear a Bostonian read.
Couldn't the young man be induced to go on?

"Oh no," said his informant very freely; "he wouldn't be able
to get the young ladies to attend to him now."

There was something very friendly, Beaumont perceived,