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Experiments in Convalescence
Withprohibitionthegreatrendezvoushadreceivedtheirdeathwounds;nolongercouldonewandertotheBiltmorebarattwelveorfiveandfindcongenialspirits,andbothTomandAmoryhadoutgrownthepassionfordancingwithmid-WesternorNewJerseydebbiesattheClub-de-Vingt(surnamedthe"ClubdeGink")orthePlazaRoseRoom—besideseventhatrequiredseveralcocktails"tocomedowntotheintellectuallevelofthewomenpresent,"asAmoryhadonceputittoahorrifiedmatron.
AmoryhadlatelyreceivedseveralalarminglettersfromMr.Barton—theLakeGenevahousewastoolargetobeeasilyrented;thebestrentobtainableatpresentwouldservethisyeartolittlemorethanpayforthetaxesandnecessaryimprovements;infact,thelawyersuggestedthatthewholepropertywassimplyawhiteelephantonAmory’shands.Nevertheless,eventhoughitmightnotyieldacentforthenextthreeyears,Amorydecidedwithavaguesentimentalitythatforthepresent,atanyrate,hewouldnotsellthehouse.
ThisparticulardayonwhichheannouncedhisennuitoTomhadbeenquitetypical.Hehadrisenatnoon,lunchedwithMrs.Lawrence,andthenriddenabstractedlyhomewardatoponeofhisbelovedbuses.
"Whyshouldn’tyoubebored,"yawnedTom."Isn’tthattheconventionalframeofmindfortheyoungmanofyourageandcondition?"
"Yes,"saidAmoryspeculatively,"butI’mmorethanbored;Iamrestless."
"Loveandwardidforyou."