his Aunt Amelia said of the "talk"
about his mother.

He decided that he needed no hat for the sort of call he intended to
make, and went forward hurriedly. Mrs. Johnson was at home, the Irish
girl who came to the door informed him, and he was left to await the
lady, in a room like an elegant well--the Johnsons' "reception room":
floor space, nothing to mention; walls, blue calcimined; ceiling, twelve
feet from the floor; inside shutters and gray lace curtains; five gilt
chairs, a brocaded sofa, soiled, and an inlaid walnut table, supporting
two tall alabaster vases; a palm, with two leaves, dying in a corner.

Mrs. Johnson came in, breathing noticeably; and her round head, smoothly
but economically decorated with the hair of an honest woman, seemed
to be lingering far in the background of the Alpine bosom which took
precedence of the rest of her everywhere; but when she was all in the
room, it was to be seen that her breathing was the result of hospitable
haste to greet the visitor, and her hand, not so dry as Neptune's
Fountain, suggested that she had paused for only the briefest ablutions.
George accepted this cold, damp lump mechanically.

"Mr. Amberson--I mean Mr. Minafer!" she exclaimed. "I'm really
delighted: I understood you asked for me. Mr. Johnson's out of the city,
but Charlie's downtown and I'm looking for him at any minute, now, and
he'll be so pleased that you--"

"I didn't want to see Charlie," George said. "I want"

"Do sit down," the hospitable lady urged him, seating herself upon the
sofa. "Do sit down."

"No, I thank you. I wish--"

"Surely you're not going to run away again, when you've just come. Do
sit down, Mr. Minafer. I hope you're all well at your house and at the
dear old Major's, too. He's looking--"

"Mrs. Johnson" George said, in a strained loud voice which arrested
her attention immediately, so that she was abruptly silent, leaving her
surprised mouth open. She had already been concealing some astonishment
at this unexampled visit, however, and the condition of George's
ordinarily smooth hair (for he had overlooked more than his hat) had not
alleviated her perplexity. "Mrs. Johnson," he said, "I have come to ask
you a few questions which I would like you to answer, if you please."

She became grave at once. "Certainly, Mr. Minafer. Anything I can--"

He interrupted sternly, yet his voice shook in spite of its sternness.
"You were talking with my Aunt Fanny about my mother this