NewlandArcherarrivedattheChiverses'onFridayevening, andonSaturdaywentconscientiouslythroughalltheritesappertainingtoaweek-endatHighbank.
Inthemorninghehadaspinintheice-boatwithhishostessandafewofthehardierguests; intheafternoonhe "wentoverthefarm" withReggie, andlistened, intheelaboratelyappointedstables, tolongandimpressivedisquisitionsonthehorse; afterteahetalkedinacornerofthefirelithallwithayoungladywhohadprofessedherselfbroken-heartedwhenhisengagementwasannounced, butwasnoweagertotellhimofherownmatrimonialhopes; andfinally, aboutmidnight, heassistedinputtingagold-fishinonevisitor'sbed, dressedupaburglarinthebath-roomofanervousaunt, , anddroveovertoSkuytercliff.
; , onhisreturnfromthe "grandtour," , withtonguedandgroovedwallspaintedpalegreenandwhite, aCorinthianportico, , thefamousweedlesslawnsstuddedwith "specimen" trees (eachofadifferentvariety) rolledawaytolongrangesofgrasscrestedwithelaboratecast-ironornaments; andbelow, inahollow, laythefour-roomedstonehousewhichthefirstPatroonhadbuiltonthelandgrantedhimin1612.
AgainsttheuniformsheetofsnowandthegreyishwinterskytheItalianvillaloomeduprathergrimly; eveninsummeritkeptitsdistance, , asArcherrangthebell, thelongtinkleseemedtoechothroughamausoleum; andthesurpriseofthebutlerwhoatlengthrespondedtothecallwasasgreatasthoughhehadbeensummonedfromhisfinalsleep.
HappilyArcherwasofthefamily, andtherefore, irregularthoughhisarrivalwas, entitledtobeinformedthattheCountessOlenskawasout, .
