ot--by any
traceable process--in consequence of the talk we had together. I may
also add that I am in very good health and spirits."

Bernard lost no time in learning that his friend had in fact departed
by the eight o'clock train--the morning was now well advanced; and then,
over his breakfast, he gave himself up to meditative surprise. What had
happened during the evening--what had happened after their conversation
in Gordon's room? He had gone to Mrs. Vivian's--what had happened there?
Bernard found it difficult to believe that he had gone there simply to
notify her that, having talked it over with an intimate friend, he gave
up her daughter, or to mention to the young lady herself that he had
ceased to desire the honor of her hand. Gordon alluded to some definite
occurrence, yet it was inconceivable that he should have allowed himself
to be determined by Bernard's words--his diffident and irresponsible
impression. Bernard resented this idea as an injury to himself, yet
it was difficult to imagine what else could have happened. There was
Gordon's word for it, however, that there was no "traceable" connection
between the circumstances which led to his sudden departure and the
information he had succeeded in extracting from his friend. What did he
mean by a "traceable" connection? Gordon never used words idly, and he
meant to make of this point an intelligible distinction. It was this
sense of his usual accuracy of expression that assisted Bernard in
fitting a meaning to his late companion's letter. He intended to
intimate that he had come back to Baden with his mind made up to
relinquish his suit, and that he had questioned Bernard simply from
moral curiosity--for the sake of intellectual satisfaction. Nothing was
altered by the fact that Bernard had told him a sorry tale; it had not
modified his behavior--that effect would have been traceable. It
had simply affected his imagination, which was a consequence of the
imponderable sort. This view of the case was supported by Gordon's
mention of his good spirits. A man always had good spirits when he had
acted in harmony with a conviction. Of course, after renouncing the
attempt to make himself acceptable to Miss Vivian, the only possible
thing for Gordon had been to leave Baden. Bernard, continuing to
meditate, at last convinced himself that there had been no explicit
rupture, that Gordon's last visit had simply been a visit of farewell,
that its character had sufficientl