e what people expect of you. When a man looks distinguished and is
clever, and knows how to please if he likes, he cannot help having a
career, unless he is afraid to take the chances."

Henderson was not conscious of ever being wanting in this direction. The
picture conjured up by the ingenious girl was not unfamiliar to his mind,
and he understood quite well the relation to it that Carmen had in her
mind; but he did not take the lead offered. Instead, he took refuge in
the usual commonplace, and asked, "Wouldn't you like to have been a man?"

"Heaven forbid! I should be too wicked. It is responsibility enough to be
a woman. I did not expect such a banality from you. Do you think, Mr.
Henderson, we had better sell?"

"Sell what?"

"Our stocks. You are so occupied that I thought they might fall when you
are up in the clouds somewhere."

"No, I shall not forget."

"Well, such things happen. I might forget you if it were not for the
stocks."

"Then I shall keep the stocks, even if they fall."

"And we should both fall together. That would be some compensation. Not
much. Going to smash with you would be something like going to church
with Mr. Lyon. It might have a steadying effect."

"What has come over you tonight, Carmen?" Henderson asked, leaning
forward with an expression of half amusement, half curiosity.

"I've been thinking--doesn't that astonish you?--about life. It is very
serious. I got some new views talking with that Miss Debree from Brandon.
Chiefly from what she didn't say. She is such a lovely girl, and just as
unsophisticated--well, as we are. I fear I shocked her by telling her
your opinion of French novels."

"You didn't tell her that I approved of all the French novels you read?"

"Oh no! I didn't say you approved of any. It sort of came out that you
knew about them. She is so downright and conscientious. I declare I felt
virtuous shivers running all over me all the time I was with her. I'm
conscientious myself. I want everybody to know the worst of me. I wish I
could practice some concealment. But she rather discourages me. She would
take the color out of a career. She somehow doesn't allow for color, I
could see. Duty, duty--that is the way she looks at life. She'd try to
keep me up to it; no playing by the way. I liked her very much. I like
people not to have too much toleration. She would be just the wife for
some nice country rector."

"Perhaps I ought to tell her your plan for her? I