XXVII + 

The ensuing December days brought to Clyde some pleasing and yet complicating and disturbing developments. For Sondra Finchley, having found him so agreeable an admirer of hers, was from the first inclined neither to forget nor neglect him. But, occupying the rather prominent social position which she did, she was at first rather dubious as to how to proceed. For Clyde was too poor and decidedly too much ignored by the Griffiths themselves, even, for her to risk any marked manifestation of interest in him. + 

And now, in addition to the primary motivating reason for all thisвБ†вАФher desire to irritate Gilbert by being friends with his cousinвБ†вАФthere was another. She liked him. His charm and his reverence for her and her station flattered and intrigued her. For hers was a temperament which required adulation in about the measure which Clyde provided itвБ†вАФsincere and romantic adulation. And at the very same time he represented physical as well as mental attributes which were agreeable to herвБ†вАФamorousness without the courage at the time, anyhow, to annoy her too much; reverence which yet included her as a very human being; a mental and physical animation which quite matched and companioned her own. + 

Hence it was decidedly a troublesome thought with Sondra how she was to proceed with Clyde without attracting too much attention and unfavorable comment to herselfвБ†вАФa thought which kept her sly little brain going at nights after she had retired. However, those who had met him at the TrumbullsвАЩ were so much impressed by her interest in him that evening and the fact that he had proved so pleasing and affable, they in turn, the girls particularly, were satisfied that he was eligible enough. + 

And in consequence, two weeks later, Clyde, searching for inexpensive Christmas presents in StarkвАЩs for his mother, father, sisters, brother and Roberta, and encountering Jill Trumbull doing a little belated shopping herself, was invited by her to attend a pre-Christmas dance that was to be given the next night by Vanda Steele at her home in Gloversville. Jill herself was going with Frank Harriet and she was not sure but that Sondra Finchley would be there. Another engagement of some kind appeared to be in the way, but still she was intending to come if she could. But her sister Gertrude would be glad to have him escort herвБ†вАФa very polite way of arranging for Gertrude. Besides, as she knew, if Sondra heard that Clyde was to be there, this might induce her to desert her other engagement. + 

вАЬTracy will be glad to stop for you in time,вАЭ she went on, вАЬorвБ†вАФвАЭ she hesitatedвБ†вАФвАЬperhaps youвАЩd like to come over for dinner with us before we go. ItвАЩll be just the family, but weвАЩd be delighted to have you. The dancing doesnвАЩt begin till eleven.вАЭ + 

The dance was for Friday night, and on that night Clyde had arranged to be with Roberta because on the following day she was leaving for a three-day-over-Christmas holiday visit to her parentsвБ†вАФthe longest stretch of time thus far she had spent away from him. And because, apart from his knowledge she had arranged to present him with a new fountain pen and Eversharp pencil, she had been most anxious that he should spend this last evening with her, a fact which she had impressed upon him. And he, on his part, had intended to make use of this last evening to surprise her with a white-and-black toilet set. + 

But now, so thrilled was he at the possibility of a reencounter with Sondra, he decided that he would cancel this last evening engagement with Roberta, although not without some misgivings as to the difficulty as well as the decency of it. For despite the fact that he was now so lured by Sondra, nevertheless he was still deeply interested in Roberta and he did not like to grieve her in this way. She would look so disappointed, as he knew. Yet at the same time so flattered and enthused was he by this sudden, if tardy, social development that he could not now think of refusing Jill. What? Neglect to visit the Steeles in Gloversville and in company with the Trumbulls and without any help from the Griffiths, either? It might be disloyal, cruel, treacherous to Roberta, but was he not likely to meet Sondra? + 

In consequence he announced that he would go, but immediately afterwards decided that he must go round and explain to Roberta, make some suitable excuseвБ†вАФthat the Griffiths, for instance, had invited him for dinner. That would be sufficiently overawing and compelling to her. But upon arriving, and finding her out, he decided to explain the following morning at the factoryвБ†вАФby note, if necessary. To make up for it he decided he might promise to accompany her as far as Fonda on Saturday and give her her present then. + 

But on Friday morning at the factory, instead of explaining to her with the seriousness and even emotional dissatisfaction which would have governed him before, he now whispered: вАЬI have to break that engagement tonight, honey. Been invited to my uncleвАЩs, and I have to go. And IвАЩm not sure that I can get around afterwards. IвАЩll try if I get through in time. But IвАЩll see you on the Fonda car tomorrow if I donвАЩt. IвАЩve got something I want to give you, so donвАЩt feel too bad. Just got word this morning or IвАЩd have let you know. YouвАЩre not going to feel bad, are you?вАЭ He looked at her as gloomily as possible in order to express his own sorrow over this. + 

But Roberta, her presents and her happy last evening with him put aside in this casual way, and for the first time, too, in this fashion, shook her head negatively, as if to say вАЬOh, no,вАЭ but her spirits were heavily depressed and she fell to wondering what this sudden desertion of her at this time might portend. For, up to this time, Clyde had been attentiveness itself, concealing his recent contact with Sondra behind a veil of pretended, unmodified affection which had, as yet, been sufficient to deceive her. It might be true, as he said, that an unescapable invitation had come up which necessitated all this. But, oh, the happy evening she had planned! And now they would not be together again for three whole days. She grieved dubiously at the factory and in her room afterwards, thinking that Clyde might at least have suggested coming around to her room late, after his uncleвАЩs dinner in order that she might give him the presents. But his eventual excuse made this day was that the dinner was likely to last too late. He could not be sure. They had talked of going somewhere else afterwards. + 

But meanwhile Clyde, having gone to the TrumbullsвАЩ, and later to the SteelesвАЩ, was flattered and reassured by a series of developments such as a month before he would not have dreamed of anticipating. For at the SteelesвАЩ he was promptly introduced to a score of personalities there who, finding him chaperoned by the Trumbulls and learning that he was a Griffiths, as promptly invited him to affairs of their ownвБ†вАФor hinted at events that were to come to which he might be invited, so that at the close he found himself with cordial invitations to attend a New YearвАЩs dance at the VandamsвАЩ in Gloversville, as well as a dinner and dance that was to be given Christmas Eve by the Harriets in Lycurgus, an affair to which Gilbert and his sister Bella, as well as Sondra, Bertine and others were invited. + 

And lastly, there was Sondra herself appearing on the scene at about midnight in company with Scott Nicholson, Freddie Sells and Bertine, at first pretending to be wholly unaware of his presence, yet deigning at last to greet him with an, вАЬOh, hello, I didnвАЩt expect to find you here.вАЭ She was draped most alluringly in a deep red Spanish shawl. But Clyde could sense from the first that she was quite aware of his presence, and at the first available opportunity he drew near to her and asked yearningly, вАЬArenвАЩt you going to dance with me at all?вАЭ + 

вАЬWhy, of course, if you want me to. I thought maybe you had forgotten me by now,вАЭ she said mockingly. + 

вАЬAs though IвАЩd be likely to forget you. The only reason IвАЩm here tonight is because I thought I might see you again. I havenвАЩt thought of anyone or anything else since I saw you last.вАЭ + 

Indeed so infatuated was he with her ways and airs, that instead of being irritated by her pretended indifference, he was all the more attracted. And he now achieved an intensity which to her was quite compelling. His eyelids narrowed and his eyes lit with a blazing desire which was quite disturbing to see. + 

вАЬMy, but you can say the nicest things in the nicest way when you want to.вАЭ She was toying with a large Spanish comb in her hair for the moment and smiling. вАЬAnd you say them just as though you meant them.вАЭ + 

вАЬDo you mean to say that you donвАЩt believe me, Sondra,вАЭ he inquired almost feverishly, this second use of her name thrilling her now as much as it did him. Although inclined to frown on so marked a presumption in his case, she let it pass because it was pleasing to her. + 

вАЬOh, yes, I do. Of course,вАЭ she said a little dubiously, and for the first time nervously, where he was concerned. She was beginning to find it a little hard to decipher her proper line of conduct in connection with him, whether to repress him more or less. вАЬBut you must say now what dance you want. I see someone coming for me.вАЭ And she held her small program up to him archly and intriguingly. вАЬYou may have the eleventh. ThatвАЩs the next after this.вАЭ + 

вАЬIs that all?вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, and the fourteenth, then, greedy,вАЭ she laughed into ClydeвАЩs eyes, a laughing look which quite enslaved him. + 

Subsequently learning from Frank Harriet in the course of a dance that Clyde had been invited to his house for Christmas Eve, as well as that Jessica Phant had invited him to Utica for New YearвАЩs Eve, she at once conceived of him as slated for real success and decided that he was likely to prove less of a social burden than she had feared. He was charmingвБ†вАФthere was no doubt of it. And he was so devoted to her. In consequence, as she now decided, it might be entirely possible that some of these other girls, seeing him recognized by some of the best people here and elsewhere, would become sufficiently interested, or drawn to him even, to wish to overcome his devotion to her. Being of a vain and presumptuous disposition herself, she decided that that should not be. Hence, in the course of her second dance with Clyde, she said: вАЬYouвАЩve been invited to the HarrietsвАЩ for Christmas Eve, havenвАЩt you?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes, and I owe it all to you, too,вАЭ he exclaimed warmly. вАЬAre you going to be there?вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, IвАЩm awfully sorry. I am invited and I wish now that I was going. But you know I arranged some time ago to go over to Albany and then up to Saratoga for the holidays. IвАЩm going tomorrow, but IвАЩll be back before New YearвАЩs. Some friends of FreddieвАЩs are giving a big affair over in Schenectady New YearвАЩs Eve, though. And your cousin Bella and my brother Stuart and Grant and Bertine are going. If youвАЩd like to go, you might go along with us over there.вАЭ + 

She had been about to say вАЬme,вАЭ but had changed it to вАЬus.вАЭ She was thinking that this would certainly demonstrate her control over him to all those others, seeing that it nullified Miss PhantвАЩs invitation. And at once Clyde accepted, and with delight, since it would bring him in contact with her again. + 

At the same time he was astonished and almost aghast over the fact that in this casual and yet very intimate and definite way she was planning for him to reencounter Bella, who would at once carry the news of his going with her and these others to her family. And what would not that spell, seeing that even as yet the Griffiths had not invited him anywhereвБ†вАФnot even for Christmas? For although the fact of Clyde having been picked up by Sondra in her car as well as later, that he had been invited to the Now and Then, had come to their ears, still nothing had been done. Gilbert Griffiths was wroth, his father and mother puzzled as to their proper course but remaining inactive nonetheless. + 

But the group, according to Sondra, might remain in Schenectady until the following morning, a fact which she did not trouble to explain to Clyde at first. And by now he had forgotten that Roberta, having returned from her long stay at Biltz by then, and having been deserted by him over Christmas, would most assuredly be expecting him to spend New YearвАЩs Eve with her. That was a complication which was to dawn later. Now he only saw bliss in SandraвАЩs thought of him and at once eagerly and enthusiastically agreed. + 

вАЬBut you know,вАЭ she said cautiously, вАЬyou mustnвАЩt pay so very much attention to me over there or here or anywhere or think anything of it, if I donвАЩt to you. I may not be able to see so very much of you if you do. IвАЩll tell you about that sometime. You see my father and mother are funny people. And so are some of my friends here. But if youвАЩll just be nice and sort of indifferentвБ†вАФyou knowвБ†вАФI may be able to see quite a little of you this winter yet. Do you see?вАЭ + 

Thrilled beyond words by this confession, which came because of his too ardent approaches as he well knew, he looked at her eagerly and searchingly. + 

вАЬBut you care for me a little, then, donвАЩt you?вАЭ he half-demanded, half-pleaded, his eyes lit with that alluring light which so fascinated her. And cautious and yet attracted, swayed sensually and emotionally and yet dubious as to the wisdom of her course, Sondra replied: вАЬWell, IвАЩll tell you. I do and I donвАЩt. That is, I canвАЩt tell yet. I like you a lot. Sometimes I think I like you more than others. You see we donвАЩt know each other very well yet. But youвАЩll come with me to Schenectady, though, wonвАЩt you?вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, will I?вАЭ + 

вАЬIвАЩll write you more about that, or call you up. You have a telephone, havenвАЩt you?вАЭ + 

He gave her the number. + 

вАЬAnd if by any chance thereвАЩs any change or I have to break the engagement, donвАЩt think anything of it. IвАЩll see you laterвБ†вАФsomewhere, sure.вАЭ She smiled and Clyde felt as though he were choking. The mere thought of her being so frank with him, and saying that she cared for him a lot, at times, was sufficient to cause him to almost reel with joy. To think that this beautiful girl was so anxious to include him in her life if she couldвБ†вАФthis wonderful girl who was surrounded by so many friends and admirers from which she could take her pick. + 