not consider it the best he had ever written； he had answered
frankly。 He was satiated with cake and tea and compliments that
evening and recklessly truthful。 〃You really wish to know my
opinion of that poem？〃 he asked。 Indeed and indeed they really
wished to knew just that thing。 〃Well； then； I think it's rot；〃 he
declared。 〃I loathe it。〃
Of course mother and daughter were indignant。 Their comments
reached Madeline's ear。 She took him to task。
〃But why did you say it？〃 she demanded。 〃You know you don't mean
it。〃
〃Yes； I do mean it。 It IS rot。 Lots of the stuff in that book of
mine is rot。 I did not think so once； but I do now。 If I had the
book to make over again； that sort wouldn't be included。〃
She looked at him for a moment as if studying a problem。
〃I don't understand you sometimes；〃 she said slowly。 〃You are
different。 And I think what you said to Mrs。 Bacon and Marian was
very rude。〃
Later when he went to look for her he found her seated with Captain
Blanchard in a corner。 They were eating ices and； apparently；
enjoying themselves。 He did not disturb them。 Instead he hunted
up the offended Bacons and apologized for his outbreak。 The
apology； although graciously accepted； had rather wearisome
consequences。 Mrs。 Bacon declared she knew that he had not really
meant what he said。
〃I realize how it must be；〃 she declared。 〃You people of
temperament； of genius； of aspirations； are never quite satisfied；
you cannot be。 You are always trying； always seeking the higher
attainment。 Achievements of the past； though to the rest of us
wonderful and sublime； are to youas you say； 'rot。' That is it；
is it not？〃 Albert said he guessed it was； and wandered away；
seeking seclusion and solitude。 When the affair broke up he found
Madeline and Blanchard still enjoying each other's society。 Both
were surprised when told the hour。
CHAPTER XVII
So the first three weeks of his proposed month's visit passed and
the fourth began。 And more and more his feelings of dissatisfaction
and uneasiness increased。 The reasons for those feelings he found
hard to define。 The Fosdicks were most certainly doing their best
to make him comfortable and happy。 They were kindyes； more than
kind。 Mr。 Fosdick he really began to like。 Mrs。 Fosdick's manner
had a trace of condescension in it； but as the lady treated all
creation with much the same measure of condescension； he was more
amused than resentful。 And MadelineMadeline was sweet and
charming and beautiful。 There was in her manner toward him； or so
he fancied； a slight change； perhaps a change a trifle more marked
since the evening when his expressed opinion of 〃The Greater Love〃
had offended her and the Bacons。 It seemed to him that she was more
impatient； more capricious； sometimes almost overwhelming him with
attention and tenderness and then appearing to forget him entirely
and to be quite indifferent to his thoughts and opinions。 Her moods
varied greatly and there were occasions when he found it almost
impossible to please her。 At these times she took offense when no
offense was intended and he found himself apologizing when； to say
the least； the fault； if there was any； was not more than half his。
But she always followed those moods with others of contrition and
penitence and then he was petted and fondled and his forgiveness
implored。
These slight changes in her he noticed； but they troubled him
little； principally because he was coming to realize the great
change in himself。 More and more that change was forcing itself
upon him。 The stories and novels he had read during the first
years of the war； the stories by English writers in which young
men； frivolous and inconsequential； had enlisted and fought and
emerged from the ordeal strong； purposeful and 〃made…over〃those
stories recurred to him now。 He had paid little attention to the
〃making…over〃 idea when he read those tales； but now he was forced
to believe there might be something in it。 Certainly something；
the three years or the discipline and training and suffering； or
all combined； had changed him。 He was not as he used to be。
Things he liked very much he no longer liked at all。 And where；
oh where； was the serene self…satisfaction which once was his？
The change must be quite individual； he decided。 All soldiers were
not so affected。 Take Blanchard； for instance。 Blanchard had seen
service； more and quite as hard fighting as he had seen； but
Blanchard was； to all appearances； as light…hearted and serene and
confident as ever。 Blanchard was like Madeline； he was much the
same now as he had been before the war。 Blanchard could dance and
talk small talk and laugh and enjoy himself。 Well； so could he； on
occasions； for that matter； if that had been all。 But it was not
all； or if it was why was he at other times so discontented and
uncomfortable？ What was the matter with him； anyway？
He drew more and more into his shell and became more quiet and less
talkative。 Madeline； in one of her moods； reproached him for it。
〃I do wish you wouldn't be grumpy；〃 she said。
They had been sitting in the library and he had lapsed into a fit
of musing； answering her questions with absentminded monosyllables。
Now he looked up。
〃Grumpy？〃 he repeated。 〃Was I grumpy？ I beg your pardon。〃
〃You should。 You answered every word I spoke to you with a grunt
or a growl。 I might as well have been talking to a bear。〃
〃I'm awfully sorry； dear。 I didn't feel grumpy。 I was thinking； I
suppose。〃
〃Thinking！ You are always thinking。 Why think； pray？ 。 。 。 If I
permitted myself to think； I should go insane。〃
〃Madeline； what do you mean？〃
〃Oh； nothing。 I'm partially insane now； perhaps。 Come； let's go
to the piano。 I feel like playing。 You don't mind； do you？〃
That evening Mrs。 Fosdick made a suggestion to her husband。
〃Fletcher；〃 she said； 〃I am inclined to think it is time you and
Albert had a talk concerning the future。 A business talk； I mean。
I am a little uneasy about him。 From some things he has said to me
recently I gather that he is planning to earn his living with his
pen。〃
〃Well； how else did you expect him to earn it； as bookkeeper for
the South Harniss lumber concern？〃
〃Don't be absurd。 What I mean is that he is thinking of devoting
himself to literature exclusively。 Don't interrupt me； please。
That is very beautiful and very idealistic； and I honor him for it；
but I cannot see Madeline as an attic poet's wife； can you？〃
〃I can't； and I told you so in the beginning。〃
〃No。 Therefore I should take him to one side and tell him of the
opening in your firm。 With that as a means of keeping his feet on
the ground his brain may soar as it likes； the higher the better。〃
Mr。 Fosdick； as usual； obeyed orders and that afternoon Albert and
he had the 〃business talk。〃 Conversation at dinner was somewhat
strained。 Mr。 Fosdick was quietly observant and seemed rather
amused about something。 His wife was dignified and her manner
toward her guest was inclined to be abrupt。 Albert's appetite was
poor。 As for Madeline； she did not come down to dinner； having a
headache。
She came down later； however。 Albert； alone in the library； was
sitting； a book upon his knees and his eyes fixed upon nothing in
particular； when she came in。
〃You are thinking again； I see；〃 she said。
He had not heard her enter。 Now he rose； the book falling to the
floor。
〃Whywhy； yes；〃 he stammered。 〃How are you feeling？ How is your
head？〃
〃It is no worse。 And no better。 I have been thinking； too； which
perhaps explains it。 Sit down； Albert； please。 I want to talk
with you。 That is what I have been thinking about； that you and I
must talk。〃
She seated herself upon the davenport and he pulled forward a chair
and sat facing her。 For a moment she was silent。 When she did
speak； however； her question was very much to the point。
〃Why did you say 'No' to Father's offer？〃 she asked。 He had been
expecting this very question； or one leading up to it。 Nevertheless；
he found answering difficult。 He hesitated； and she watched him；
her impatience growing。
〃Well？〃 she asked。
He sighed。 〃Madeline；〃 he said； 〃I am afraid you think me very
unreasonable； certainly very ungrateful。〃
〃I don't know what to think about you。 That is why I feel we must
have this talk。 Tell me； please； just what Father said to you this
afternoon。〃
〃He saidwell； the substance of what he said was to offer me a
position in his office； in his firm。〃
〃What sort of a position？〃
〃Well； II scarcely know。 I was to have a desk there andand be
generallyornamental； I suppose。 It was not very definite； the
details of the position； but〃
〃The salary was good； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes； more than good。 Much too good for the return I could make
for it； so it seemed to me。〃
〃And your prospects for the future？ Wasn't the offer what people
call a good opportunity？〃
〃Why； yes； I suppose it was。 For the right sort of man it would
have been a wonderful opportunity。 Your father was most kind； most
generous； Madeline。 Please don't think I am not appreciative。 I
am； but〃
〃Don't。 I want to understand it all。 He offered you this
opportunity； this partnership in his firm； and you would not
accept it？ Why？ Don't you like my father？〃
〃Yes； I like him very much。〃
〃Didn't you；〃 with the slightest possible curl of the lip； 〃think
the offer worthy of you？ 。 。 。 Oh； I don't mean that！ Please
forgive me。 I am trying not to be disagreeable。 II just want to
understand； Albert； that's all。〃
He nodded。 〃I know； Madeline；〃 he said。 〃You have the right to
ask。 It wasn't so much a question of the offer being worthy of me
as of my being worthy the offer。 Oh； Madeline； why should you and
I pretend？ You know why Mr。 Fosdick made me that offer。 It wasn't
because I was likely to be worth ten dollars a year to his firm。
In Heaven's name； what use would I be in a stockbroker's office；
with my make…up； with my lack of business ability？ He would be
making a place for me there and paying me a high salary for one
reason only； and you know what that is。 Now don't