"She would have wanted only what you wanted, and she would not have
asked much in return. She would not have asked as much as I should. What
you did was not businesslike." She paused a moment to give thought to
it. "You paid too high a price for the luxury of indulging the inherited
temperament. Your luxury was not to control it. But it was a bad
investment."
"The figure of speech is rather commercial," coldly.
"It is curious that most things are, as a rule. There is always the
parallel of profit and loss whether one sees it or not. The profits
are happiness and friendship--enjoyment of life and approbation. If the
inherited temperament supplies one with all one wants of such things, it
cannot be called a loss, of course."
"You think, however, that mine has not brought me much?"
"I do not know. It is you who know."
"Well," viciously, "there HAS been a sort of luxury in it in lashing out
with one's heels, and smashing things--and in knowing that people prefer
to keep clear."
She lifted her shoulders a little.
"Then perhaps it has paid."
"No," suddenly and fiercely, "damn it, it has not!"
And she actually made no reply to that.
"What do you mean to do?" he questioned as bluntly as before.
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