That left the whole matter indeterminate; nobody was committed to
anything, one way or another. Hen Cooney earned Cally's undying
resentment (at least for the remainder of the drive) by crying over her
shoulder as the car rolled away:
"Of course Uncle Thornton'll give her her place back! Don't you worry,
V.V.!..."
* * * * *
That night the subject of the Works was touched upon again, in the
course of an extended talk between Carlisle and her friend Mattie Allen,
a talk ranging intimately over various aspects of life and living. It
took place in Carlisle's pretty bedroom, toward two o'clock A.M. In the
earlier evening the girls had brilliantly attended the Thursday German
(which was always held on Mondays), and now Mattie was spending the
night: a ceremony which she dearly loved, especially the eleven o'clock
breakfast in bed. They routed all hands out at eight at the Allens,
regardless.
The two girls, Carlisle and Mattie, were the dearest friends in the
world, being perfect natural foils, each made to appear at her best by
the presence of the other. Many other bonds they had also, as the fact
that, while each was charming and most attractive to men, they very
rarely attracted the same men, thus obviating hostile jealousies.
Speaking roughly, tall, athletic, handsome, normal young men loved
Carlisle; while Mattie, though rarely appealing to these demigods, made
instant killings with "clever" men, literary fellows, teachers of Greek,
and promising young entomologists. Doubtless the comparatively
favorable impression Mattie had made on Mr. Canning at the Beirne
reception was due to the fact that he, though a demigod, had thought, at
times, of writing a book....
"Mats," said Carlisle, apropos of nothing whatever, "have you ever heard
people criticizing the Works--saying horrid things about conditions
being unhealthy there, or anything of that sort?"
"Why, yes, dear, I have," said Mats at once, and sweetly. "Not very
lately, though. I think there was an article in the paper about it,
wasn't there, a month or two ago? Why?"
"What have you heard people say?" replied Carlisle.
"Well, I can't remember exactly, Cally, but it seems to me I heard them
say the Government was going to have a new law about it, or
something. Why?"
This last was a popular word with Mattie, whose mind in relation to her
own sex was distinctly interrogatory. All evening, mostly by indirect
methods, she had been examining Carlisle in regard to Mr. Canning, and
his strange visit....
"Oh, nothing," said Carlisle, gently patting her face with a steaming
cloth.
Mattie selected a hairbrush from her little spend-the-night kit.
"You know what perfect _nuts_ it is to people," said she, "to think they
have anything the least bit disagreeable on people they know."
"Isn't it?" replied Carlisle, with a repressed note of strong
irritation. "Everybody has plenty of time to attend to everybody's
business but their own."
Mattie glanced at her, wondering interestedly what had happened to
Cally. However, she made no answer to the philosophic sarcasm, being now
engaged in giving her hair one hundred and twenty-five brisk strokes
before retiring, and not wishing to lose the count.
Half an hour the girls had been in the flowing negligee stage, but they
were still intensely busy with the Eleusinian mysteries.
After an interval Carlisle said: "I wonder how many of the people who
criticize would put Turkish baths and--and dens in the Works if they had
to do it out of their own pockets.... Why under the _sun_ should they?"
"Of course," said Mattie. "(Eighteen, nineteen, twenty.)--I think you're
perfectly right, dear...."
"If people don't like the Works as they are, why should they raise
heaven and earth begging for jobs there? I wish somebody'd
explain that."
"Of course. (Twenty-five.)--And how could Mr. Heth spend thousands and
thousands of dollars on such things without taking it _right out of your
mouth_, don't you see?... Oh, _gosh_!"
"What?"
"Broke my best finger-nail--that's all! Just the tiniest rap on the
chair. Where's the file, dear? Oh, Cally, remember, twenty-five.... How
provoking!--I do think I've got the brittlest I ever saw ..."
Presently Carlisle, in a flowing silken robe, rose, went over to her
dressing-table, seated herself and picked up a round cut-glass jar with
a silver top. The jar contained cold cream, or something of that sort.
Mattie, having filed down her nail, was now faithfully brushing again,
in the forties. Her eyes followed Cally; rested upon her as she sat.
These eyes, large, dark, and grave, with the sweetest, curlingest
lashes, had been the turning-point in Mattie's life. She had early
recognized their unique merits and values, and round them, with infinite
pains, she had built up her "type." And now at twenty-three, she was
sweet, artless, and full of adorable intellectual dependences,
deliciously stupid (with the spectacled young men), and her favorite
expression was "poor little Me."
Mattie, brushing, looked at Carlisle, and wondered if she possibly _had_
refused Mr. Canning, and, if so, why Mr. Canning had skipped back just
to stay over Sunday and not go near her, and why Cally was so mysterious
and secretive all of a sudden. She always told Cally every single thing
about her affairs, reporting in detail what was "the most" each man said
to her, and always bringing her their letters to read, even Mr.
Dudley's, who wrote such perfectly beautiful ones. Cally had always done
the same with her, till lately, but now she was a _perfect clam_. Not a
word would she tell about Mr. Canning, and to-night J. Forsythe Avery
had proposed at last (Cally said), but she barely mentioned the fact, as
if it were of no interest, and declined positively to repeat his words,
which was always the interesting (and also the convincing) part
of it....
"What's the matter?" said Mattie, aloud and alertly.
Cally, sitting and rubbing cold cream (or whatever it was) had suddenly
given a long sigh. At her friend's question, she turned half round, but
did not cease the rubbing.
"Mats, don't you ever get sick and tired of all these things we do to
ourselves to make us look pretty and attractive and--desirable?"