knew that he was talking to her,
saying something. She couldn't listen to it. And then he was gone. She
was glad he was.

She sat quite still, with her hands lying idly, softly in her lap. It was
possible that what he said was true. Perhaps all these people who made
such a show of strength to the world were those who sucked double
strength by sapping the vitality of a life's companion. It had been true
of Joe Severance. She had heard him praised for the courage with which
he went forth against temptation, but she had known that it was her
strength he was using. She looked up, to see her daughter, pale and
eager, standing before her.

"O Mama, was it very terrible?"

"What, dear?"

"Did Pete tell you of our plan?"

Adelaide wished she could have listened to those last sentences of his;
but they were gone completely.

She put up her hand and patted the unutterably soft cheek before her.

"He told me something about putting through your absurd idea of an
immediate marriage," she said.

"We don't want to do it in a sneaky way, Mama."

"I know. You want to have your own way and to have every one approve of
you, too. Is that it?"

Mathilde's lips trembled.

"O Mama," she cried, "you are so different from what you used to be!"

Adelaide nodded.

"One changes," she said. "One's life changes." She had meant this
sentence to end the interview, but when she saw the girl still standing
before her, she said to herself that it made little difference that she
hadn't heard the plans of the Wayne boy, since Mathilde, her own
tractable daughter, was still within her power. She moved into the corner
of the sofa. "Sit down, dear," she said, and when Mathilde had obeyed
with an almost imperceptible shrinking in her attitude, Adelaide went on,
with a sort of serious ease of manner:

"I've never been a particularly flattering mother, have I? Never thought
you were perfect just because you were mine? Well, I hope you'll pay the
more attention to what I have to say. You are remarkable. You are going
to be one of the most attractive women that ever was. Years ago old Count
Bartiani--do you remember him, at Lucerne?"

"The one who used scent and used to look so long at me?"

"Yes, he was old and rather horrid, but he knew what he was talking
about. He said then you would be the most attractive woman in Europe. I
heard the same thing from all my friends, and it's true. You have
something rare and perfect---"

These were gre