Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 1 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/222

 remarkably much of the world. She says the most astounding things."

"What sort of things?" Rowland wonderingly asked.

It made his friend hesitate. "I can scarcely think of a specimen that would n't too much shock you!"

"It 's altogether a singular type of young lady," said Rowland after the scene I have sketched. "It may be a charm, but it 's certainly not the orthodox charm of marriageable maidenhood, the charm of the 'nice girl' or the 'dear girl' as we have been accustomed to know those blest creatures. Our American girls are accused of being more forward than any others, and this wonderful damsel is nominally an American. But it has taken twenty years of Europe to make her what she is. The first time we saw her I remember you called her the product of an effete civilisation, and certainly you were not far wrong."

"Well, you see, she has an atmosphere," said Roderick in a tone of high appreciation.

"Young unmarried women should be careful not to have too much," his companion sagely risked.

"Ah, you don't forgive her for hitting you so hard! A man ought to be flattered when such a girl as that takes so much notice of him."

"A man 's never flattered at a beautiful woman's not liking him," said Rowland.

"Are you sure she does n't like you? That's to the credit of your humility. A fellow of more vanity might, on the evidence, persuade himself that he was positively in favour."

"He would have also then," laughed Rowland, "to 188