The Spectator., 1915-04-09
,eace and the peace of others

long time. She, too, had made bum der. Quick to form opinions, swift to judge, she stood guilty with the com mon lot. who permit impressions in- stead of evidence to sway them. Here was a man.
 We have gone far afield," she said, tacit admission that she could not refute his dissertations. This knowl- edge, however, was not irksome.
 Rather have we not come to the bars? Shall we let them down? In the civil and military life on this side of the world there are many situa- tions which we perforce must tolerate. But these, mind you, are settled condi- tions. It is upon new ones which arise that we pass judgment. l knew noth- ing about you, nothing whatever. So judged you according to the rules
 Elsa leaned upon her elbows. and she smiled little as she noted that the purple had gone from his nose and that it had resumed it's accus- toned rubicundity.
 '1 go on. A woman who travels alone, who does not present letters of introduction, who
 Who attends strictly to her own af- fairs, Go on."
 Imperturbably he continued: Who seeks the acquaintance of men who do not belong, as you Americans say" Not men; one man." she corrected.
 "A trifling difference. Well, it 1 arouses a disagreeable word, sus- picion. For look, there have been eX amples. It isn't as if yours were an isolated case. There have been ex- amples. and these we apply to such af- fairs as come under our notice"
 And it doesn't matter that you may be totally wrong?"
 His prompt answer astonished her No, it does not matter in the least. Simmered down. it may be explained in word. appearances. And l must say, to the normal mind
 "The mediocre mind"
 ITO the normal and mediocre mind, | appearances were against you. Ob- serve, please, that l did not know was wrong, that you were a remark able young woman. My deductions were made from what l saw as an out slider. On the lrrawaddy you made the acquaintance of man who came out here fugitive from justice. After you made his acquaintance. you sought none other, in fact, repelled any ad- yances. This alone decided me-
 Then you were decided?" To say l Lat hit ter to her taste, that it did not act like acid upon her pride, would not be true. She was hurt, but she did not let the hurt befog her sense of jus tice. From his point of view the colo nel was in no fault Let me tell you how very wrong you were indeed
 Doubtless" he hastily interposed, you enveloped the man in a cloud of romance"
 "On the contrary. I spoke to him and sought his panionship because he was nothing more nor less than a ghost"
 An, Is 1t possible that you knew him in former times?"
 No. But he was so like the man at home; so identical in features and build to the man l expected to go home to marry.
 My dear young lady, you are right Mediocrity is without imagination, stupid, and makes the world dull place indeed. What woman in your place would have acted otherwise? h. stead of one apology l offer thou sand"
 "I accept each and all of them. More, l believe that you and l could get on capitally l can very well imagine the soldier you used to be. l am going to Warrington"
 This, that he is not fit companion for young woman like yourself; that a detracting rumor follows hard upon his heels wherever he goes. learned something about him in Rangoon. He is known to the riff-raff as Parrot X Co, and I don't know what else. All of us on shipboard learned his previ- ous history. And not from respectable quarters, either"
 If l had been elderly and without physical attractions?" Elsa inquired sarcastically.
 We are dealing with human nature. mediocrity, and not with speculation. It is in the very nature of things to distrust that which we do not under stand. You say. old and without phys ieal attractions Beauty is of all things most drawing. We crowd about it, we crown it, We fatter 1t. The old and unattractive we pass by. If had not seen you here tonight. heard you talk, saw in kind of rebellious en- chantment over your knowledge of the world and your distinguished acQuaint- ance, should have gone to my grave believing that my suspicious were cor rect. l dare say that 1 shall make the same mistake again"