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mansard roof； in time this one disappeared and gave place to a
still grander homeand so on and so on。 Mansion after mansion；
made of air； rose； higher； broader； finer； and each in its turn
vanished away； until now in these latter great days； our dreamers
were in fancy housed； in a distant region； in a sumptuous vast
palace which looked out from a leafy summit upon a noble prospect
of vale and river and receding hills steeped in tinted mists
and all private； all the property of the dreamers； a palace swarming
with liveried servants； and populous with guests of fame and power；
hailing from all the world's capitals； foreign and domestic。
This palace was far； far away toward the rising sun； immeasurably remote；
astronomically remote； in Newport； Rhode Island； Holy Land
of High Society； ineffable Domain of the American Aristocracy。
As a rule they spent a part of every Sabbathafter morning service
in this sumptuous home； the rest of it they spent in Europe；
or in dawdling around in their private yacht。 Six days of sordid
and plodding fact life at home on the ragged edge of Lakeside
and straitened means； the seventh in Fairlyandsuch had been
their program and their habit。
In their sternly restricted fact life they remained as of old
plodding； diligent； careful； practical； economical。 They stuck
loyally to the little Presbyterian Church； and labored faithfully
in its interests and stood by its high and tough doctrines with all
their mental and spiritual energies。 But in their dream life they
obeyed the invitations of their fancies； whatever they might be；
and howsoever the fancies might change。 Aleck's fancies were not
very capricious； and not frequent； but Sally's scattered a good deal。
Aleck； in her dream life； went over to the Episcopal camp； on account
of its large official titles； next she became High…church on account
of the candles and shows； and next she naturally changed to Rome；
where there were cardinals and more candles。 But these excursions
were a nothing to Sally's。 His dream life was a glowing and continuous
and persistent excitement； and he kept every part of it fresh and
sparkling by frequent changes； the religious part along with the rest。
He worked his religions hard； and changed them with his shirt。
The liberal spendings of the Fosters upon their fancies began
early in their prosperities； and grew in prodigality step by step
with their advancing fortunes。 In time they became truly enormous。
Aleck built a university or two per Sunday； also a hospital or two；
also a Rowton hotel or so； also a batch of churches； now and then
a cathedral； and once； with untimely and ill…chosen playfulness；
Sally said； 〃It was a cold day when she didn't ship a cargo of
missionaries to persuade unreflecting Chinamen to trade off twenty…four
carat Confucianism for counterfeit Christianity。〃
This rude and unfeeling language hurt Aleck to the heart； and she
went from the presence crying。 That spectacle went to his own heart；
and in his pain and shame he would have given worlds to have
those unkind words back。 She had uttered no syllable of reproach
and that cut him。 Not one suggestion that he look at his own record
and she could have made； oh； so many； and such blistering ones！
Her generous silence brought a swift revenge； for it turned his
thoughts upon himself； it summoned before him a spectral procession；
a moving vision of his life as he had been leading it these past
few years of limitless prosperity； and as he sat there reviewing
it his cheeks burned and his soul was steeped in humiliation。
Look at her lifehow fair it was； and tending ever upward； and look
at his ownhow frivolous； how charged with mean vanities； how selfish；
how empty； how ignoble！ And its trendnever upward； but downward；
ever downward！
He instituted comparisons between her record and his own。 He had found
fault with herso he musedHE！ And what could he say for himself？
When she built her first church what was he doing？ Gathering other
blas'e multimillionaires into a Poker Club； defiling his own palace
with it； losing hundreds of thousands to it at every sitting；
and sillily vain of the admiring notoriety it made for him。
When she was building her first university； what was he doing？
Polluting himself with a gay and dissipated secret life in the
company of other fast bloods； multimillionaires in money and paupers
in character。 When she was building her first foundling asylum；
what was he doing？ Alas！ When she was projecting her noble Society
for the Purifying of the Sex； what was he doing？ Ah； what； indeed！
When she and the W。 C。 T。 U。 and the Woman with the Hatchet；
moving with resistless march； were sweeping the fatal bottle from
the land； what was he doing？ Getting drunk three times a day。
When she； builder of a hundred cathedrals； was being gratefully
welcomed and blest in papal Rome and decorated with the Golden Rose
which she had so honorably earned； what was he doing？ Breaking the
bank at Monte Carlo。
He stopped。 He could go no farther； he could not bear the rest。
He rose up； with a great resolution upon his lips： this secret
life should be revealing； and confessed； no longer would he live
it clandestinely； he would go and tell her All。
And that is what he did。 He told her All； and wept upon
her bosom； wept； and moaned； and begged for her forgiveness。
It was a profound shock； and she staggered under the blow； but he
was her own； the core of her heart； the blessing of her eyes；
her all in all； she could deny him nothing； and she forgave him。
She felt that he could never again be quite to her what he had
been before； she knew that he could only repent； and not reform；
yet all morally defaced and decayed as he was； was he not her own；
her very own； the idol of her deathless worship？ She said she
was his serf； his slave； and she opened her yearning heart and took
him in。
CHAPTER VII
One Sunday afternoon some time after this they were sailing the
summer seas in their dream yacht； and reclining in lazy luxury under
the awning of the after…deck。 There was silence； for each was busy
with his own thoughts。 These seasons of silence had insensibly
been growing more and more frequent of late； the old nearness and
cordiality were waning。 Sally's terrible revelation had done its work；
Aleck had tried hard to drive the memory of it out of her mind；
but it would not go； and the shame and bitterness of it were
poisoning her gracious dream life。 She could see now （on Sundays）
that her husband was becoming a bloated and repulsive Thing。
She could not close her eyes to this； and in these days she
no longer looked at him； Sundays； when she could help it。
But shewas she herself without blemish？ Alas； she knew she was not。
She was keeping a secret from him； she was acting dishonorably
toward him； and many a pang it was costing her。 SHE WAS BREAKING
THE COMPACT； AND CONCE