University of Virginia Library

52. CHAPTER LII.
PREPARATIONS FOR OUR DINNER PARTY.

“HARRY,” said my wife, the morning of the day
of our projected house-warming, “there's one
thing you must get me.”

“Well, Princess?”

“Well, you know you and I don't care for wine and
don't need it, and can't afford it, but I have such a pretty
set of glasses and decanters, and you must get me a couple
of bottles just to set off our table for celebration.”

Immediately I thought of Bolton's letter, of what he had
told me of the effect of wine upon his senses at Hestermanns
dinner table. I knew it must not be at ours, but
how to explain to my wife without compromising him! At
a glance I saw that all through the future my intimacy
with Bolton must be guided and colored by what I knew
of his history, his peculiar struggles and temptations,
and that not merely now, but on many future occasions I
should need a full understanding with my wife to act as I
should be obliged to act. I reflected that Eva and I had
ceased to be two and had become one, that I owed her an unlimited
confidence in those respects where my actions must
involve her comfort, or wishes, or coöperation.

“Eva, darling,” I said, “you remember I told you there
was a mystery about the separation of Bolton and Caroline.”

“Yes, of course,” said she, wondering, “but what has
this to do with this wine question?”

“A great deal,” I said, and going to my desk I took out
Bolton's letter and put it into her hand. “Read that my
dear and then tell me what to do.” She took it and read

with something of the eagerness of feminine curiosity
while I left the room for a few moments. In a little while
she came after me and laid her hand on my arm.

“Harry, dear,” she said “I'll stand by you in this thing.
His secret shall be sacred with me, and I will make a safe
harbor for him where he may have a home without danger.
I want our house to seem like a home for him.”

“You are an angel, Eva.”

“Well, Harry, I must say I always have had conscience
about offering wine to some young men that I knew ought
to keep clear of it, but it never occurred to me in regard to
such a grave noble man as Bolton.”

We never know who may be in this danger. It is a
diseased action of the nervous system—often inherited—
a thing very little understood, like the tendency to insanity
or epilepsy. But while we know such things are,
we cannot be too careful.

“I should never have forgiven myself, Harry, if I had
done it.”

“The result would have been that Bolton would never
have dined with us again, he is resolute to keep entirely
out of all society where this temptation meets him.”

“Well, we don't want it, don't need it, and won't have it.
Mary makes magnificent coffee and that's even so much
better. So that matter is settled, Harry, and I'm ever and
ever so glad you told me. I do admire him so much! There
is something really sad and noble in his struggle.”

“Many a man with that temptation who fails often
exercises more self-denial, and self-restraint, than most
Christians,” said I.

“I'm sure I don't deny myself much. I generally want
to do just what I do,” said Eva.

“You always want to do all that is good and generous,”
said I.

“I think, on the whole,” said Eva, reflectively, “my self-denial
is in not doing what other people want me to. I'm
like Mrs. Quickly. I want to please everybody. I wanted
to please mamma and Aunt Maria.”

“And came very near marrying a man you couldn't love
purely to oblige people.”

“If you hadn't rescued me,” she said, laughing. “But
now, Harry, really I want some little extravagance about
our dinner. So if we don't have wine, buy the nicest of
grapes and pears, and I will arrange a pretty fruit piece
for the center of the table.”

“My love, I will get you all the grapes and pears you
want.”

“And my little Ruth has sent me in this lovely tumbler
of apple jelly. You see I held sweet council with her
yesterday on the subject of jelly-making, where I am only
a novice, and hers is splendid; literally now, splendid, for
see how the light shines through it! And do you think the
generous little Puss actually sent me in half a dozen tumblers.”

“What a perfect saint!” said I.

“And I am to have all the flowers in her garden. She
says the frost will take them in a day or two if we don't.
Harry, next summer we must take lessons of her about
our little back yard. I never saw so much made of so
little ground.”

“She'll be only too delightful,” said I.

“Well, now, mind you are home at five. I want you to
look the house over before your friends come, and see if I
have got everything as pretty as it can be.”

“Are they to “process” through the house and see your
blue room, and your pink room, and your guest chamber,
and all?”

“Yes. I want them to see all through how pretty the
rooms are, and then sometimes, perhaps, we shall tempt
them to stay all night.”

“And sleep in the chamber that is called Peace,” said I,
“after the fashion of Pilgrim's Progress.”

“Come, Harry, begone. I want you to go, so as to be
sure and come back early.”