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She smiled faintly。 〃That sounds like dad；〃 she commented。
〃Yes。 Well； we talked and argued for some time on the subject。
He asked me what； supposing I did not accept this offer of his；
my plans for the future might be。 I told him they were pretty
unsettled as yet。 I meant to write； of course。 Not poetry
altogether。 I realized； I told him； that I was not a great poet； a
poet of genius。〃
Madeline interrupted。 Her eyes flashed。
〃Why do you say that？〃 she demanded。 〃I have heard you say it
before。 That is； recently。 In the old days you were as sure as
I that you were a real poet； or should be some day。 You never
doubted it。 You used to tell me so and I loved to hear you。〃
Albert shook his head。 〃I was sure of so many things then；〃 he
said。 〃I must have been an insufferable kid。〃
She stamped her foot。 〃It was less than three years ago that you
said it；〃 she declared。 〃You are not so frightfully ancient
now。 。 。 。 Well； go on； go on。 How did it end； the talk with
Father； I mean？〃
〃I told him；〃 he continued； 〃that I meant to write and to earn my
living by writing。 I meant to try magazine workstories； you
knowand； soon； a novel。 He asked if earning enough to support a
wife on would not be a long job at that time。 I said I was afraid
it might； but that that seemed to me my particular game；
nevertheless。〃
She interrupted again。 〃Did it occur to you to question whether or
not that determination of yours was quite fair to me？〃 she asked。
〃Whywhy； yes； it did。 And I don't know that it IS exactly fair
to you。 I〃
〃Never mind。 Go on。 Tell me the rest。 How did it end？〃
〃Well； it ended in a sort of flare…up。 Mr。 Fosdick was just a
little bit sarcastic； and I expressed my feelings rather freely
too freely； I'm afraid。〃
〃Never mind。 I want to know what you said。〃
〃To be absolutely truthful； then； this is what I said： I said that
I appreciated his kindness and was grateful for the offer。 But my
mind was made up。 I would not live upon his charity and draw a
large salary for doing nothing except be a little； damned tame
house…poet led around in leash and exhibited at his wife's club
meetings。 。 。 。 That was about all； I think。 We shook hands at
the end。 He didn't seem to like me any the less for 。 。 。 Why；
Madeline； have I offended you？ My language was pretty strong； I
know； but〃
She had bowed her head upon her arms amid the sofa cushions and was
crying。 He sprang to his feet and bent over her。
〃Why； Madeline；〃 he said again； 〃I beg your pardon。 I'm sorry〃
〃Oh； it isn't that；〃 she sobbed。 〃It isn't that。 I don't care
what you said。〃
〃What is it； then？〃
She raised her head and looked at him。
〃It is you；〃 she cried。 〃It is myself。 It is everything。 It is
all wrong。 II was so happy andand now I am miserable。 Ohoh；
I wish I were dead！〃
She threw herself upon the cushions again and wept hysterically。
He stood above her； stroking her hair； trying to soothe her； to
comfort her； and all the time he felt like a brute； a heartless
beast。 At last she ceased crying； sat up and wiped her eyes with
her handkerchief。
〃There！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I will not be silly any longer。 I won't
be！ I WON'T！ 。 。 。 Now tell me： Why have you changed so？〃
He looked down at her and shook his head。 He was conscience…
stricken and fully as miserable as she professed to be。
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃I am older andandand I DON'T see
things as I used to。 If that book of mine had appeared three years
ago I have no doubt I should have believed it to be the greatest
thing ever printed。 Now； when people tell me it is and I read what
the reviewers said and all that； II DON'T believe； I KNOW it
isn't greatthat is； the most of it isn't。 There is some pretty
good stuff； of course； but You see； I think it wasn't the poems
themselves that made it sell； I think it was all the fool tommyrot
the papers printed about me； about my being a hero and all that
rubbish； when they thought I was dead； you know。 That〃
She interrupted。 〃Oh； don't！〃 she cried。 〃Don't！ I don't care
about the old book。 I'm not thinking about that。 I'm thinking
about you。 YOU aren't the samethe same toward me。〃
〃Toward you； Madeline？ I don't understand what you mean。〃
〃Yes； you do。 Of course you do。 If you were the same as you used
to be； you would let Father help you。 We used to talk about that
very thing andand you didn't resent it then。〃
〃Didn't I？ Well； perhaps I didn't。 But I think I remember our
speaking sometimes of sacrificing everything for each other。 We
were to live in poverty； if necessary； and I was to write； you
know； and〃
〃Stop！ All that was nonsense； nonsense！ you know it。〃
〃Yes； I'm afraid it was。〃
〃You know it was。 And if you were as you used to be； if you〃
〃Madeline！〃
〃What？ Why did you interrupt me？〃
〃Because I wanted to ask you a question。 Do you think YOU are
exactly the sameas you used to be？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Haven't YOU changed a little？ Are you as sure as you were then
as sure of your feeling toward me？〃
She gazed at him； wide…eyed。 〃WHAT do you mean？〃
〃I mean ARE you sure？ It has seemed to me that perhapsI was out
of your life for a long time； you know； and during a good deal of
that time it seemed certain that I had gone forever。 I am not
blaming you； goodness knows； butMadeline； isn't there Well； if
I hadn't come back； mightn't there have been some oneelse？〃
She turned pale。
〃What do〃 she stammered； inarticulate。 〃Why； why〃
〃It was Captain Blanchard； wasn't it？〃
The color came back to her cheeks with a rush。 She blushed
furiously and sprang to her feet。
〃Howhow can you say such things！〃 she cried。 〃What do you mean？
How DARE you say Captain Blanchard took advantage of Howhow
DARE you say I was not loyal to you？ It is not true。 It is not
true。 I was。 I am。 There hasn't been a worda word between us
sincesince the news came that you were I told himI said
And he has been splendid！ Splendid！ And now you say Oh； what
AM I saying？ What SHALL I do？〃
She collapsed once more among the cushions。 He leaned forward。
〃My dear girl〃 he began； but she broke in。
〃I HAVEN'T been disloyal；〃 she cried。 〃I have tried Oh； I have
tried so hard〃
〃Hush； Madeline； hush。 I understand。 I understand perfectly。 It
is all right； really it is。〃
〃And I should have kept on trying alwaysalways。〃
〃Yes； dear； yes。 But do you think a married life with so much
trying in it likely to be a happy one？ It is better to know it
now； isn't it； a great deal better for both of us？ Madeline； I am
going to my room。 I want you to think； to think over all this； and
then we will talk again。 I don't blame you。 I don't； dear；
really。 I think I realize everythingall of it。 Good night；
dear。〃
He stooped and kissed her。 She sobbed； but that was all。 The next
morning a servant came to his room with a parcel and a letter。 The
parcel was a tiny one。 It was the ring he had given her； in its
case。 The letter was short and much blotted。 It read：
Dear Albert：
I have thought and thought； as you told me to； and I have conclude