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〃I hope so too； Mrs。 Creighton； for it is one of our chief duties as diplomatists； 'to tell lies for the good of our country；' in an agreeable way。 But I am afraid I have not improved my opportunities。 I have been very much out of humour for the last six months； at least。〃
〃And why； pray？〃
〃Because I wanted to come home； and Mr。 Henley； my boss； insisted upon proving to me it would be the most foolish thing I could do。 He was so much in the right； that I resented it by being cross。〃
〃But now he has come himself； and brought you with him。〃
〃No thanks to him； though。 It was all Uncle Sam's doings； who wants to send us from the Equator to the North Pole。〃
〃Are you really going to Russia； Hazlehurst？〃 asked Mr。 Ellsworth。
〃Certainly； you would not have me desert； would you？〃
〃Oh； no； don't think of it； Mr。 Hazlehurst； it must be a very pleasant life！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Creighton。 〃I only wish； Frank； that you were enough of a politician to be sent as minister somewhere； I should delight in doing the honours for you； though I dare say you would rather have some one else in my place。〃
〃We will wait until I am sent as ambassador to Timbuctoo； before I answer the question。〃
〃You have grown half…a…dozen shades darker than you used to be as a youngster； Harry； or else this lamp deceives me；〃 observed Mr。 Wyllys。
〃I dare say I may have a fresh tinge of the olive。 But I am just from sea； sir； and that may have given me an additional coat。〃
〃Did you suffer much from heat； on the voyage？〃 asked Miss Wyllys。
〃Not half as much as I have since I landed。 It appeared to me Philadelphia was the warmest spot I had ever breathed in； worse than Rio。 I was delighted when Louisa proposed my coming to Saratoga to see my friends。〃
〃You will find it quite warm enough here；〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。 〃The thermometer was 92 ｛degrees｝ in the shade； yesterday。〃
〃I don't expect to be well cooled； sir； until we get to St。 Petersburgh。 After a sea…voyage； I believe one always feels the cold less； and the heat more than usual。 But where is Mrs。 Stanley？we hoped to find her with you。 Is she not staying at this house？〃
〃Yes； but she left us early； this evening； not feeling very well； you will not be able to see her until to…morrow；〃 said Miss Agnes。
〃I am sorry she is not well； how is she looking？〃
〃Particularly well； I think； she merely complained of a head…ache from riding in the sun。〃
〃Mrs。 Stanley has been very anxious for your return； but she will be as agreeably surprised as the rest of us； to find you here；〃 said Elinor。
〃Thank you。 I look upon myself as particularly fortunate； to find so many old friends collected in one spot； instead of having to run about； and hunt for each in a different place； just now that I am limited for time。〃
〃You ought to be greatly indebted to Frank and myself； for breaking our word and staying here； instead of keeping our promise and going to Nahant； as we had engaged to do；〃 said Mrs。 Creighton。
〃Certainly； I look upon it as part of my good luck； but I should have made my appearance at Nahant； if you had actually run away from me。〃
〃I shall believe you； for I make it a point of always believing what is agreeable。〃
〃As I knew Mrs。 Hazlehurst and your brother had engaged rooms here； I hoped you would join us； soon after your arrival；〃 said Mr。 Ellsworth。
〃It was much the best plan for you；〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。
Harry looked gratified by this friendly remark。
It was already late； and Mrs。 Hazlehurst； who had been conversing in a corner with Jane； complained of being fatigued by her day's journey； which broke up the party。 The Hazlehursts； like Mrs。 Creighton and her brother； were staying at the United States； and they all went off together。
When Elinor； as usual； kissed Mr。 Wyllys before retiring to her own room； she hesitated a moment； and then said：
〃I must thank you； grandpapa； for having granted my request； and received Harry as of old。 It is much better that the past should be entirely forgotten。 Self…respect seems to require that we should not show resentment under the circumstances；〃 she added； colouring slightly。
〃I cannot forget the past； Elinor。 Harry does not stand with me where he once did； by the side of my beloved grandchild； but we will not think of that any longer； as you say。 I hope for better things from the future。 Bless you； dear！〃
CHAPTER VI。 ｛XXIX｝
〃The foam upon the waters； not so light。〃 COWPER。
｛William Cowper （English poet； 1731…1800）； 〃Truth〃 line 43｝
As usual at Saratoga； early the next morning groups of people were seen moving from the different hotels； towards the Congress Spring。 It was a pleasant day； and great numbers appeared disposed to drink the water at the fountain…head； instead of having it brought to their rooms。 The Hazlehursts were not the only party of our acquaintances who had arrived the night before。 The Wyllyses found Miss Emma Taylor already on the ground； chattering in a high key with a tall； whiskered youth。 The moment she saw Elinor； she sprang forward to meet her。
｛〃Congress Spring〃 = principal mineral water source at Saratoga Springs｝
〃How do you do； Miss Wyllys？Are you not surprised to see me here？〃
〃One can hardly be surprised at meeting anybody in such a crowd；〃 said Elinor。 〃When did you arrive？〃
〃Last night； at eleven o'clock。 We made a forced march from Schenectady； where we were to have slept； but I persuaded Adeline and Mr。 St。 Leger to come on。 You can't think how delighted I am to be here； at last；〃 said the pretty little creature； actually skipping about with joy。
〃And where is Mrs。 St。 Leger？〃
〃Oh； she will he here in a moment。 She has gone to Jane's room。 I left her there just now。〃
The platform round the spring was quite crowded。 In one party； Elinor remarked Mrs。 Hilson and Miss Emmeline Hubbard； escorted by Monsieur Bonnet and another Frenchman。 They were soon followed by a set more interesting to Elinor； the Hazlehursts； Mrs。 Creighton； and her brother。
〃I hope none of your party from Wyllys…Roof are here from necessity；〃 said Harry； after wishing Elinor good…morning。
〃Not exactly from necessity； but the physicians recommended to Aunt Agnes to pass a fortnight here； this summer。 You may have heard that she was quite ill； a year ago？〃
〃Yes； Robert； of course； wrote me word of her illness。 But Miss Wyllys looks quite like herself； I think。 As for Mr。 Wyllys； he really appears uncommonly well。〃
〃Thank you； grandpapa is very well； indeed； and Aunt Agnes has quite recovered her health； I trust。〃
〃Miss Wyllys；〃 said Mr。 Stryker； offering a glass of the water to Elinor； 〃can't I persuade you to take a sympathetic cup； this morning？〃
〃I believe not；〃 replied Elinor； shaking her head。
〃Do you never drink it〃' asked Mrs。 Creighton。
〃No； I really dislike it very much。〃
〃Pray； give it to me； Mr。 Stryker；〃 continued Mrs。 Creighton。 〃Thank you： I am condemned to drink three glasses every morning； and it will be three hours； at this rate； before I get them。〃
〃Did you ever hear a better shriek than that； Miss Wyllys？〃 said Mr。 Stryker； lowering his voice； and pointing to Emma Taylor； who was standing on the opposite side of the spring； engaged in a noisy； rattling flirtation。 After drinking half the glass that had been given to her； she had handed it to the young man to whom she was talking； bidding him drink it without making a face。 Of course； the youth immediately exerted himself to make a grimace。
〃Oh； you naughty boy！〃 screamed Miss Taylor； seizing another half…empty glass； and throwing a handful of water in his face； 〃this is the way I shall punish you！〃
There were two gentlemen； European travellers； standing immediately behind Elinor at this moment； and the colour rose in her cheeks as she heard the very unfavourable observations they made upon Miss Taylor； judging from her noisy manner in a public place。 Elinor； who understood very well the language in which they spoke； was so shut in by the crowd that she could not move； and was compelled to hear part of a conversation that deeply mortified her； as these travellers； apparently gentlemanly men themselves； exchanged opinions upon the manners of certain young ladies they had recently met。 They began to compare notes； and related several little anecdotes； anything but flattering in their nature； to the delicacy of the ladies alluded to； actually naming the individuals as they proceeded。 More than one of these young girls was well known to Elinor； and from her acquaintance with their usual tone of manner and conversation； she had little doubt as to the truth of the stories these travellers had recorded for the amusement of themselves and their friends； at the same time； she felt perfectly convinced that the interpretation put upon these giddy； thoughtless actions； was cruelly unjust。 Could these young ladies have heard the observations to which they had laid themselves open by their own folly； they would have been sobered at once； self…respect would have put them more on their guard； ESPECIALLY IN THEIR INTERCOURSE WITH FOREIGNERS。 It is； no doubt； delightful to see young persons free from every suspicion； no one would wish to impose a single restraint beyond what is necessary； but； surel