y
conscious, she turned and found Molly in her doorway between,
undressing, and looking at her with knowledge and with laughter. She
had forgotten Molly, who had been rummaging and had brought out some
olives and crackers and wine. Molly lunched at all unheard-of hours.

Alexina sprang up. She turned white, then scarlet.

"'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,' Jean Garnier would
say," Molly began, unloosing her waist and laughing again. "Mais non,
mon enfant, you take these things too seriously; it is time you
understood. He has said as much to every pretty girl there, one time
and another, and to most of their mothers before them, only they all
understood. It's very charming in you, of course, right now, and to a
man like him, irresistible but, still--Malise--"

Alexina looked at Molly. Then up welled a red that rose to her hair
and spread down her throat and over her bare young shoulders. She
would never misunderstand again. It is a cruel thing, the hotness of
shame. But Molly was staring. Malise was beautiful with her head so
proudly up and her cheeks flaming.

There was more to understand. They were a gay crowd, the young people
and their elders with whom Molly and Alexina and Georgy were going.
Things came to Alexina slowly.

"It isn't just nice," she told Molly anxiously, an evening at the
Willy Fields'; "Georgy says you've all been in the pantry opening
more champagne. I'm sure they're acting like there's been enough, and
he thinks, too, we ought to go home."

"Good Lord," said Molly. She looked so slender, so childishly innocent
standing there where the daughter had drawn her aside, one couldn't
believe she had said it. "This is the way you used to go on when you
were a child. One would think you'd had your fill of what people ought
to do, living with the Blairs."

Alexina looked at her. That Molly should dare allude to that past this
way! Then she went and found her mother's wrap and brought it.

"Put it on," she said.

Molly laughed rebelliously, then waveringly.

"We are going home," said the daughter.

Molly essayed to put it on but didn't seem able to find the hooks,
and Alexina, hardening her heart, would not help her, but went to find
Georgy. He was looking stern himself, and forlorn and young, and the
fact that she knew why did not serve to make Alexina happier.

The cars had stopped running and they walked home, leaving hilarity
behind them. Molly was acting stubbornly, her tones