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around the house to spy in the back yard； a young girl rather stealthily
gathering laths； and fragments of joists and flooring； and loading them
into a child's express…wagon。 She started when she saw me。 She was
little； more than a child； and the loose calico dress she wore seemed to
emphasize her thinness。 She stood stock…still； staring at me with
frightened yet defiant eyes。 I； too； felt a strange timidity in her
presence。
〃Why do you stop？〃 I asked at length。
〃Say； is this your heap？〃 she demanded。
I acknowledged it。 A hint of awe widened her eyes。 Then site glanced at
the half…filled wagon。
〃This stuff ain't no use to you； is it？〃
〃No； I'm glad to have you take it。〃
She shifted to the other foot； but did not continue her gathering。 An
impulse seized me； I put down my walkingstick and began picking up pieces
of wood； flinging them into the wagon。 I looked at her again； rather
furtively； she had not moved。 Her attitude puzzled me； for it was one
neither of surprise nor of protest。 The spectacle of the 〃millionaire〃
owner of the house engaged in this menial occupation gave her no thrills。
I finished the loading。
〃There！〃 I said； and drew a dollar bill out of my pocket and gave it to
her。 Even then she did not thank me； but took up the wagon tongue and
went off； leaving on me a disheartening impression of numbness； of life
crushed out。 I glanced up once more at the mansion I had built for
myself looming in the dusk； and walked hurriedly away。。。。
One afternoon some three weeks after we had moved into the new house； I
came out of the Club； where I had been lunching in conference with
Scherer and two capitalists from New York。 It was after four o'clock；
the day was fading； the street lamps were beginning to cast sickly
streaks of jade…coloured light across the slush of the pavements。 It was
the sight of this slush （which for a brief half hour that morning had
been pure snow； and had sent Matthew and Moreton and Biddy into ecstasies
at the notion of a 〃real Christmas〃）； that brought to my mind the
immanence of the festival； and the fact that I had as yet bought no
presents。 Such was the predicament in which I usually found myself on
Christmas eve； and it was not without a certain sense of annoyance at the
task thus abruptly confronting me that I got into my automobile and
directed the chauffeur to the shopping district。 The crowds surged along
the wet sidewalks and overflowed into the street； and over the heads of
the people I stared at the blazing shop…windows decked out in Christmas
greens。 My chauffeur； a bristly…haired Parisian； blew his horn
insolently； men and women jostled each other to get out of the way； their
holiday mood giving place to resentment as they stared into the windows
of the limousine。 With the American inability to sit still I shifted
from one corner of the seat to another； impatient at the slow progress of
the machine： and I felt a certain contempt for human beings； that they
should make all this fuss； burden themselves with all these senseless
purchases； for a tradition。 The automobile stopped； and I fought my way
across the sidewalk into the store of that time…honoured firm； Elgin；
Yates and Garner； pausing uncertainly before the very counter where； some
ten years before； I had bought an engagement ring。 Young Mr。 Garner
himself spied me； and handing over a customer to a tired clerk； hurried
forward to greet me； his manner implying that my entrance was in some
sort an event。 I had become used to this aroma of deference。
〃What can I show you； Mr。 Paret？〃 he asked。
〃I don't knowI'm looking around；〃 I said； vaguely； bewildered by the
glittering baubles by which I was confronted。 What did Maude want？
While I was gazing into the case； Mr。 Garner opened a safe behind him；
laying before me a large sapphire set with diamonds in a platinum brooch；
a beautiful stone； in the depths of it gleaming a fire like a star in an
arctic sky。 I had not given Maude anything of value of late。 Decidedly；
this was of value； Mr。 Garner named the price glibly； if Mrs。 Paret
didn't care for it； it might be brought back or exchanged。 I took it；
with a sigh of relief。 Leaving the store； I paused on the edge of the
rushing stream of humanity； with the problem of the children's gifts
still to be solved。 I thought of my own childhood； when at Christmastide
I had walked with my mother up and down this very street； so changed and
modernized now； recalling that I had had definite desires； desperate
ones； but my imagination failed me when I tried to summon up the emotions
connected with them。 I had no desires now： I could buy anything in
reason in the whole street。 What did Matthew and Moreton want？ and
little Biddy？ Maude had not 〃spoiled〃 them； but they didn't seem to have
any definite wants。 The children made me think； with a sudden softening；
of Tom Peters； and I went into a tobacconist's and bought him a box of
expensive cigars。 Then I told the chauffeur to take me to a toy…shop；
where I stood staring through a plate…glass window at the elaborate
playthings devised for the modern children of luxury。 In the centre was
a toy man…of…war； three feet in length； with turrets and guns； and
propellers and a real steam…engine。 As a boy I should have dreamed about
it； schemed for it； bartered my immortal soul for it。 Butif I gave it
to Matthew； what was there for Moreton？ A steam locomotive caught my
eye； almost as elaborate。 Forcing my way through the doors； I captured a
salesman； and from a state bordering on nervous collapse he became
galvanized into an intense alertness and respect when he understood my
desires。 He didn't know the price of the objects in question。 He
brought the proprietor； an obsequious little German who； on learning my
name； repeated it in every sentence。 For Biddy I chose a doll that was
all but human； when held by a young woman for my inspection； it elicited
murmurs of admiration from the women shoppers by whom we were surrounded。
The proprietor promised to make a special delivery of the three articles
before seven o'clock。。。。
Presently the automobile； after speeding up the asphalt of Grant Avenue；
stopped before the new house。 In spite of the change that house had made
in my life； in three weeks I had become amazingly used to it； yet I had
an odd feeling that Christmas eve as I stood under the portico with my
key in the door； the same feeling of the impersonality of the place which
I had experienced before。 Not that for one moment I would have exchanged
it for the smaller house we had left。 I opened the door。 How often； in
that other house； I had come in the evening seeking quiet； my brain
occupied with a problem； only to be annoyed by the romping of the
children on the landing above。 A noise in one end of it echoed to the
other。 But here； as I entered the hall； all was quiet： a dignified；
deep…carpeted stairway swept upward before me； and on either side were
wide； empty rooms； and in the subdued light of one of them I saw a dark
figure moving silently aboutthe butler。 He came forward to relieve me；
deftly； of my hat and overcoat。 Well； I had it at last