she did not flatter herself that he would fall in love with her.
Nevertheless she could not help but be interested in him and look at
times with a longing eye at his interesting face and figure. It was so
obvious that if he loved at all it would be dramatically, in all
probability, beautifully.

As time went on she took pains to be agreeable to him. He had, as it
were, the freedom of her room. She knew of exhibitions, personalities,
movements--in religion, art, science, government, literature. She was
inclined to take an interest in socialism, and believed in righting the
wrongs of the people. Eugene thought he did, but he was so keenly
interested in life as a spectacle that he hadn't as much time to
sympathize as he thought he ought to have. She took him to see
exhibitions, and to meet people, being rather proud of a boy with so
much talent; and she was pleased to find that he was so generally
acceptable. People, particularly writers, poets, musicians--beginners in
every field, were inclined to remember him. He was an easy talker,
witty, quick to make himself at home and perfectly natural. He tried to
be accurate in his judgments of things, and fair, but he was young and
subject to strong prejudices. He appreciated her friendship, and did not
seek to make their relationship more intimate. He knew that only a
sincere proposal of marriage could have won her, and he did not care
enough for her for that. He felt himself bound to Angela and, curiously,
he felt Miriam's age as a bar between them. He admired her tremendously
and was learning in part through her what his ideal ought to be, but he
was not drawn sufficiently to want to make love to her.

But in Christina Channing, whom he met shortly afterward, he found a
woman of a more sensuous and lovable type, though hardly less artistic.
Christina Channing was a singer by profession, living also in New York
with her mother, but not, as Miss Finch had been, dominated by her so
thoroughly, although she was still at the age when her mother could and
did have considerable influence with her. She was twenty-seven years of
age and so far, had not yet attained the eminence which subsequently was
hers, though she was full of that buoyant self-confidence which makes
for eventual triumph. So far she had studied ardently under various
teachers, had had several love affairs, none serious enough to win her
away from her chosen profession, and had gone through the various
experiences of