Mavis said, to hook herself
on. She evidently had the habit of patience, and her reception of her
visitors' story reminded me afresh--I was reminded of it whenever I
returned to my native land--that my dear compatriots are the people in
the world who most freely take mutual accommodation for granted. They
have always had to help themselves, and have rather magnanimously failed
to learn just where helping others is distinguishable from that. In no
country are there fewer forms and more reciprocities.
It was doubtless not singular that the ladies from Merrimac Avenue
shouldn't feel they were importunate: what was striking was that Mrs.
Nettlepoint didn't appear to suspect it. However, she would in any case
have thought it inhuman to show this--though I could see that under the
surface she was amused at everything the more expressive of the pilgrims
from the South End took for granted. I scarce know whether the attitude
of the younger visitor added or not to the merit of her good nature. Mr.
Porterfield's intended took no part in the demonstration, scarcely spoke,
sat looking at the Back Bay and the lights on the long bridge. She
declined the lemonade and the other mixtures which, at Mrs. Nettlepoint's
request, I offered her, while her mother partook freely of everything and
I reflected--for I as freely drained a glass or two in which the ice
tinkled--that Mr.
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