Amostunnecessarypreamble，nodoubt，andofdoubtfulefficacyinsmoothinghiswaytoacorrectunderstandingwiththedeeplybereavedfather。Buthelookedsohandsomeashethusassertedhimselfandmadesomuchofhisinchesandthenoblepoiseofhishead-thoughcoldofeyeandalwayscoldofmanner-thatthosewhosaw，aswellasheardhim，forgavethisdisplayofegotisminconsiderationofitshonestyandthedignityitimpartedtohisperson。”IfirstmetMissChallonerintheBerkshires，”hebegan，afteramomentofquietlisteningforanypossiblesoundfromtheotherroom。”Ihadbeenonthetramp，andhadstoppedatoneofthegreathotelsforasevendays’rest。IwillacknowledgethatIchosethisspotattheinstigationofarelativewhoknewmytastesandhowperfectlytheymightbegratifiedthere。ThatIshouldminglewiththeguestsmaynothavebeeninhisthought，anymorethanitwasinmineatthebeginningofmystay。Thepanoramaofbeautyspreadoutbeforemeoneverysidewassufficientinitselfformyenjoyment，andmighthavecontinuedsototheendifmyattentionhadnotbeenveryforciblydrawnononememorablemorningtoayounglady-MissChalloner-bytheveryearnestlookshegavemeasIwascrossingtheofficefromoneverandahtoanother。Imustinsistonthislook，evenifitshockthedelicacyofmylisteners，forwithouttheinterestitawakenedinme，Imightnothavenoticedtheblushwithwhichsheturnedasidetojoinherfriendsontheverandah。Itwasanoverwhelmingblushwhichcouldnothavesprungfromanyslightembarrassment，and，thoughIhatethepretensionsofthoseegotistswhoseeinawoman’ssmilemorethanitbyrightconveys，Icouldnothelpbeingmovedbythisdisplayoffeelinginonesogiftedwitheverygraceandattributeoftheperfectwoman。WithlesscautionthanIusuallydisplay，Iapproachedthedeskwhereshehadbeenstandingand，meetingtheeyesoftheclerk，askedtheyounglady’sname。Hegaveit，andwaitedformetoexpressthesurpriseheexpectedittoevoke。ButIfeltnoneandshowednone。Otherfeelingshadseizedme。Ihadheardofthisgraciouswomanfrommanysources，inmylifeamongthesufferingmassesofNewYork，andnowthatIhadseenherandfoundhertobenotonlymyidealofpersonallovelinessbutseeminglyapproachableandnotuninterestedinmyself，Iallowedmyfancytosoarandmyhearttobecometouched。
　　Afactwhichtheclerknowconfidedtomenaturallydeepenedtheimpression。MissChallonerhadseenmynameintheguest-bookandaskedtohavemepointedouttoher。PerhapsshehadheardmynamespokeninthesamequarterwhereIhadheardhers。Wehaveneverexchangedconfidencesonthesubject，andIcannotsay。IcanonlygiveyoumyreasonfortheinterestIfeltinMissChallonerandwhyIforgot，intheglamourofthisepisode，theaimsandpurposesofanotunambitiouslifeandthedistancewhichtheworldandtheso-calledaristocraticclassputbetweenawomanofherwealthandstandingandasimpleworkerlikemyself。”Imustbepardoned。Shehadsmileduponmeonce，andshesmiledagain。Daysbeforewewereformallypresented，Icaughthersoftenedlookturnedmyway，aswepassedeachotherinhallorcorridor。Wewerefriends，orsoitappearedtome，beforeeverawordpassedbetweenus，andwhenfortunefavouredusandweweredulyintroduced，ourmindsmetinastrangesympathywhichmadethisoneinterviewamemorableonetome。Unhappily，asIthenconsideredit，thiswasmylastdayatthehotel，andourconversation，interruptedfrequentlybypassingacquaintances，wasneverresumed。Iexchangedafewwordswithherbywayofgood-byebutnothingmore。IcametoNewYork，andsheremainedinLenox。
　　AmonthafterandshetoocametoNewYork。””Thisgood-bye-doyourememberit?Theexactlanguage，Imean?””Ido；itmadeagreatimpressiononme。’Ishallhopeforourfurtheracquaintance，’shesaid。’Wehaveoneverystronginterestincommon。Andifeverahumanfacespokeeloquently，itwashersatthatmoment。Theinterest，asIunderstoodit，wasourmutualsympathyforourtoiling，half-starved，down-troddenbrothersandsistersinthelowerstreetsofthiscity；buttheeloquence-thatIprobablymistook。Ithoughtitsprangfrompersonalinterest，anditgavemecouragetopursuetheintentionwhichhadtakentheplaceofeveryotherfeelingandambitionbywhichIhadhithertobeenmoved。Herewasawomaninathousand；onewhocouldmakeamanofmeindeed。Ifshecouldignorethesocialgulfbetweenus，Ifeltfreetotaketheleap。Cowardicehadneverbeenafaultofmine。
　　ButIwasnofooleventhen。IrealisedthatImustfirstletherseethemannerofmanIwasandwhatlifemeanttomeandmustmeantoheriftheunionIcontemplatedshouldbecomeanactualfact。I
　　wroteletterstoher，butIdidnotgivehermyaddressorevenrequestareply。Iwasnotreadyforanywordfromher。IamnotlikeothermenandIcouldwait。AndIdid，forweeks，thenI
　　suddenlyappearedatherhotel。”
　　Thechangeofvoice-thebitternesswhichheinfusedintothisfinalsentencemadeeveryonelookup。Hithertohehadspokencalmly，almostmonotonously，asifnopresentheart-beatrespondedtothistaleofvanishedlove；butwiththewords，”ThenIsuddenlyappearedatherhotel，”heshowedhimselfhumanagain，andbetrayedapassionwhichthoughcurbedwasofthefieryquality，befittinghisextraordinaryattributesofmindandperson。”Thiswaswhen?”putinDr。Heath，anxioustobridgethepausewhichmusthavebeenverypainfultothelisteningfather。”TheweekafterThanksgiving。Ididnotseeherthefirstday，andonlycasuallythesecond。ButsheknewIwasinthebuilding，andwhenIcameuponheroneeveningseatedattheverydeskinthemezzaninewhichweallhavesuchbittercausetoremember，Icouldnotforbearexpressingmyselfinawayshecouldnotmisunderstand。
　　Theresultwasofakindtodriveamanlikemyselftoanextremityofself-condemnationandrage。Sheroseupasifinsulted，andflungmeonesentenceandonesentenceonlybeforeshehailedtheelevatorandleftmypresence。Acurcouldnothavebeendismissedwithlessceremony。””Thatisnotlikemydaughter。Whatwasthesentenceyoualludeto?
　　Letmeheartheverywords。”Mr。Challonerhadcomeforwardandnowstoodawaitinghisreply，adignifiedbutpatheticfigure，whichallmustviewwithrespect。”Ihatethememoryofthem，butsinceyoudemandit，Iwillrepeatthemjustastheyfellfromherlips，”wasMr。Brotherson’sbitterretort。”Shesaid，’Youofallmenshouldrecognisetheunseemlinessoftheseproposals。Hadyourlettersgivenmeanyhintofthefeelingsyouhavejustexpressed，youwouldneverhavehadthisopportunityofapproachingme。’Thatwasall；butherindignationwasscathing。Ladieswhohavesuppedexclusivelyoffsilver，showafinescornforthecommonwareofthecottager。”
　　Mr。Challonerbowed。”Thereissomemistake，”saidhe。”Mydaughtermightbeaversetoyouraddresses，butshewouldnevershowindignationtoanyaspirantforherhand，simplyonaccountofextraneousconditions。Shehadwidesympathies-widerthanIoftenapproved。Somethinginyourconductortheconfidenceyoushowedshockedhernicersense；notyourlackoftheluxuriessheoftenmisprised。ThismuchIfeelobligedtosay，outofjusticetohercharacter，whichwasuniformlyconsiderate。””Youhaveseenherwithmenofherownworldandyours，”wastheharshresponse。”Shehadanothersidetohernatureforthemanofadifferentsphere。Anditkilledmylove-thatyoucansee-andledtomysendinghertheinjudiciousletterwithwhichyouhaveconfrontedme。Thehurtbulluttersonebellowbeforehedies。
　　Ibellowed，andbellowedloudly，butIdidnotdie。I’mmyownmanstillandmeantoremainso。”
　　Theassertiveboldness-somewouldcallitbravado-withwhichhethusfinishedthestoryofhisrelationswiththedeadheiress，seemedtobemorethanMr。Challonercouldstand。Withalookofextremepainandperplexityhevanishedfromthedoorway，anditfelltoDr。Heathtoinquire：”Isthisletter-aletterofthreatyouwillremember-theonlycommunicationwhichpassedbetweenyouandMissChallonerafterthisunfortunatepassageofarmsattheClermont?””Yes。Ihadnowishtoaddressheragain。IhadexhaustedinthisoneoutburstwhateverhumiliationIfelt。””Andshe?Didshegivenosign，makeyounoanswer?””Nonewhatever。”Then，asifhefounditimpossibletohidethishurttohispride，”Shedidnotevenseemtoconsidermeworthythehonourofanaddedrebuke。Sucharroganceis，nodoubt，commendableinaChalloner。”
　　Thistimehisbitternessdidnotpassunrebukedbythecoroner：”RememberthegreyhairsoftheonlyChallonerwhocanhearyou，andrespecthisgrief。”
　　Mr。Brothersonbowed。”Ihavefinished，”saidhe。”Ishallhavenothingmoretosayonthesubject。”Andhedrewhimselfupinexpectationofthedismissalheevidentlythoughtpending。
　　Butthecoronerwasnotdonewithhimbyanymeans。Hehadatheoryinregardtothislamentablesuicidewhichhehopedtoestablishbythisman’stestimony，and，inpursuitofthisplan，henotonlymotionedtoMr。Brothersontoreseathimself，butbeganatoncetoopenafreshlineofexaminationbysaying：”Youwillpardonme，ifIpressthismatter。IhavebeengiventounderstandthatnotwithstandingyourbreakwithMissChalloner，youhavekeptupyourvisitstotheClermontandwereevenonthespotatthetimeofherdeath。””Onthespot?””Inthehotel，Imean。””Thereyouareright；Iwasinthehotel。””Atthetimeofherdeath?””Verynearthetime。Irememberhearingsomedisturbanceinthelobbybehindme，justasIwaspassingoutattheBroadwayentrance。””Youdid，anddidnotreturn?””WhyshouldIreturn?Iamnotamanofmuchcuriosity。TherewasnoreasonwhyIshouldconnectasuddenalarminthelobbyoftheClermontwithanycauseofspecialinteresttomyself。”
　　Thiswassotrueandthelookwhichaccompaniedthewordswassofrankthatthecoronerhesitatedamomentbeforehesaid：