“You’ll ruin everything!” cried my wife. “You’ll make us the
laughingstock of Europe!”
“We Americans of the rich class are that already,” replied I.
Edna must have given her daughter some secret signal, for she abruptly
and hastily left the room, closing the door behind her. I shrugged
my shoulders, settled back on the exquisitely upholstered and carved
sofa on which I had seated myself. Looking round I said, “This is a
beautiful room. You’ve certainly arranged a fitting background for
yourself and Margot.”
But she was not listening. She was watching her fingers slowly twist
and untwist the delicate little lace handkerchief. At last she said:
“Godfrey, I’ve never asked a favor of you. I’ve given my whole life to
advancing your interests--to making our child a perfect lady--and to
placing her in a dazzling position.”
“Yes,” said I. “You have worked hard--and you’ve made your tricks.”
“I’ve played my hand well--as you have yours,” said she, accepting my
rather unrefined figure with good grace. “I began to make Margot’s
career before she was born. The first time I saw her little face, I
murmured to myself, ‘Little Duchess.’ Now, you understand why I brought
her up so carefully.”
“Oh,” said I, looking at her with new interest. “That was it?” I who
knew what a futile, purposeless, easily discouraged breed the human
race is could not but admire this woman. If her intelligence had only
been equal to her will, what might she not have accomplished!
“I have never lost sight of it for a moment,” said she. “In the early
days--for a time--when we were seemingly so hopelessly obscure, and
I was too ignorant to learn which way to turn--for a while I was
discouraged. But I never gave up--never! And step by step I’ve trained
her for the grand position as a leader of European society she was one
day to occupy--for, I knew that if she led Europe she would be leader
at home, too. Over there they’re merely a feeble, crude echo of Europe.”
“Socially,” said I.
“That’s all we’re talking about,” replied she. “That’s all there is
worth talking about. What else have you been piling up money for?...
What else?”