ried in one hand, and not falling
down on the slippery floor with the plate of salad which he bore in the
other. She had thoughts of feigning unconsciousness; she would have had
no scruple in practising this or any other social stratagem, for though
she kept a conscience in regard to certain matters--what she considered
essentials--she lived a thousand little lies every day, and taught her
daughter by precept and example to do the same. You must seem to be
looking one way when you were really looking another; you must say this
when you meant that; you must act as if you were thinking one thing when
you were thinking something quite different; and all to no end, for,
as she constantly said, people always know perfectly well what you were
about, whichever way you looked or whatever you said, or no matter
how well you acted the part of thinking what you did not think. Now,
although she seemed not to look, she saw all that has been described at
a glance, and at another she saw young Mavering slide easily up to his
father and relieve him of the plate and glass, with a laugh as pleasant
and a show of teeth as dazzling as he bestowed upon any of the ladies
he had passed. She owned to her recondite heart that she liked this in
young Mavering, though at the same time she asked herself what motive he
really had in being so polite to his father before people. But she had
no time to decide; she had only time to pack the question hurriedly away
for future consideration, when young Mavering arrived at her elbow, and
she turned with a little "Oh!" of surprise so perfectly acted that it
gave her the greatest pleasure.

IV.

"I don't think my father would have got here alive with these things,"
said young Mavering. "Did you see how I came to his rescue?"

Mrs. Pasmer instantly threw away all pretext of not having seen. "Oh
yes! my heart was in my mouth when you bore down upon him, Mr. Mavering.
It was a beautiful instance of filial devotion."

"Well, do sit down now, Mrs. Pasmer, and take it comfortably," said the
young fellow; and he got her one of the many empty chairs, and would not
give her the things, which he put in another, till she sat down and let
him spread a napkin over her lap.

"Really," she said, "I feel as if I were stopping all the wheels of
Class Day. Am I keeping them from closing the Gymnasium, Mr. Mavering?"

"Not quite," said the young man, with one of his laughs. "I don't
believe they will turn us out,