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Young Irony
Onepoemtheyreadoverandover;Swinburne’s"TriumphofTime,"andfourlinesofitranginhismemoryafterwardonwarmnightswhenhesawthefirefliesamongduskytreetrunksandheardthelowdroneofmanyfrogs.ThenEleanorseemedtocomeoutofthenightandstandbyhim,andheheardherthroatyvoice,withitstoneofafleecy-headeddrum,repeating:
"Isitworthatear,isitworthanhour,
Tothinkofthingsthatarewelloutworn;
Offruitlesshuskandfugitiveflower,
Thedreamforegoneandthedeedforeborne?"
Theywereformallyintroducedtwodayslater,andhisaunttoldhimherhistory.TheRamillysweretwo:oldMr.Ramillyandhisgranddaughter,Eleanor.ShehadlivedinFrancewitharestlessmotherwhomAmoryimaginedtohavebeenverylikehisown,onwhosedeathshehadcometoAmerica,toliveinMaryland.ShehadgonetoBaltimorefirsttostaywithabacheloruncle,andtheresheinsistedonbeingadebutanteattheageofseventeen.ShehadawildwinterandarrivedinthecountryinMarch,havingquarrelledfranticallywithallherBaltimorerelatives,andshockedthemintofieryprotest.Aratherfastcrowdhadcomeout,whodrankcocktailsinlimousinesandwerepromiscuouslycondescendingandpatronizingtowardolderpeople,andEleanorwithanespritthathintedstronglyoftheboulevards,ledmanyinnocentsstillredolentofSt.Timothy’sandFarmington,intopathsofBohemiannaughtiness.