第6章

"ThebasisofStandardEggwasnotonlyamonopolyofallthehensintheUnitedStates，butamachinecalledaSeparator，fortellingtheageandstateofaneggbymeansofimmersioninwater。Perfectlygoodeggssankfastandpassedoutthroughonedistributor；fairlyniceeggsdidnotreachthebottom，andweredrawnoffthroughanothersluice，andsoon。

Thissavedthewagesoftheeggtwirlers，whosemethodofcandlingeggs，asitwascalled，wasfarlessrapidthantheSeparator。AndwhenI

learnedthatonehouseinSt。Louisalonetwirled50，000eggsinaday，thepossibleprofitsoftheEggTrustbecamecleartome。ButtheywerenotsocleartoEthel。Shesaidthatyoucouldnotmonopolisehens。Thattheywouldalwaysbelayingeggsandputtingitinthepowerofcompetitorstohatchthembyincubators。NordidshehaveconfidenceinthePasteurisedFeeder。"Evenifyougettheparentstoadoptit，"shesaid，"youcannotgetthechildren。IftheydonotlikethetasteofthemilkasitcomesoutofthebottlethroughtheFeeder，theywillsimplynottakeit。""

""Well，"Ianswered，"oldMrs。Beverlyisholdingontohers。""

"WhenIsaidthis，Ethelsatwithhermouthtight。Thensheopeneditandsaid:"Ihatethatwoman。""

""Hateher？Why，youhaveneversomuchaslaideyesonher。""

""Thatisnotatallnecessary。Iconsideritindecentforagreyhairedwomanwithgrandchildrentobespeculatinginthestockmarketeveryweeklikearegularbullorbear。""

"EverypointinthisoutburstofEthel"sseemedtomesounwarrantablethatIwasquitedazed。Isatlookingather，andhereyesfilledwithtears。"OhRichard！"sheexclaimed，"shewillruinyou，andIhateher！""

""MydearEthel，"Ireplied，"shewillnot。Andonlyseehowyouaremakingitallupoutofyourhead。Youhaveneverseenher，butyouspeakofherasagrey-hairedgrandmother。""

""Shemustbe，Richard。YouhavetoldmethatMr。Beverlyisamarriedmanandaboutforty-five。Nodoubthehasoldersistersandbrothers。Butifhehasnot，hismothercanhardlybelessthansixty-five，andhehasprobablybeenmarriedforseveralyears。Hemighteasilyhaveadaughtercomingout，nextwinter，andasonatHarvardorYale；andiftheirgrandmother"shairisnotgrey，thatisquiteasunnaturalasherspeculatinginmonopolisedeggsinthiswayatherage。Shemustbeaveryunladylikeperson。""

"Ethel，Isaw，wasexcited。ThereforeImadenomorepointofhertheoriesconcerningtheappearanceandfamilycircleofoldMrs。Beverly。

ButinjusticetomyselfIfeltobligedtoremindher，first，thatIwasinvesting，notspeculating，andsecond，thatitwasMr。Beverly"sadviceIwasfollowing，andnotthatofhismother。"Hadhenotspokenofher，"

Isaid，"Ishouldhaveremainedunawareofherexistence。""

""Sheisatthebottomofitallthesame，"saidEthel。"Everythingyouhaveboughthasbeenbecausesheboughtit。""

""Thatisnotquitetherightwaytoputit，"Ireplied。"IwaswillingtobuythesesecuritiesbecauseMr。Beverlythoughtsohighlyofthemthathefeltjustifiedin""

""Thereisnouse，"interruptedEthel，"inourgoingroundthiscircleasifwewereapairofsquirrels。Idonotaskyoutohatethatwomanformysake，butIcannotchangemyownfeeling。Doyouremember，Richard，abouttheCityofPhilippiSewerBonds？Youdidnotwanttobuythematfirst。YoutoldmeyourselfthatyouthoughtnewtownsinTexaswereapttobuzzsuddenlyandthendiebecauseallthepeoplehurriedawaytosomenewertownandleftthehousesandstoresstandingempty。ButMr。

Beverly"smothergotsome，andallyourhesitationfled。AndnowIseethattheGulf，Galveston，andLittleRockisgoingtobuildabranchthatmaymakePhilippiaperfectlyevaporatedtown。Ifyousoldthesebondsto-day，howmuchwouldyoulose？""

"IdidnotenjoytellingEthelhowmuch，butIhadto。"Onlyfifteenthousanddollars，"Isaid。"

""Only！"saidEthel。"Well，Ihopehismotherwillloseagreatdealmorethanthat。""

"ItisseldomthatEtheltapsherfoot，butshehadbeguntotapitnow；

andthisinclinedmetoavoidanyattemptatasoothingreply，inthehopethatsilencemightprovestillmoresoothing，andthatthuswemightgetawayfromoldMrs。Beverly。"

""Shecannotpossiblybelessthansixty-five，"Ethelpresentlyannounced。"Andsheisfarmorelikelytobeseventy。""

"IthoughtitbesttoagreetoanyagethatEthelchosetogivetheoldlady。"

""Doyousuppose，"Ethelcontinued，"thatshedoesitbytelephone？""

""Mydearest，"Iresponded，"hemustdoitallforher，ofcourse，youknow。""

""Idoubtthatverymuch，Richard。Andshestrikesmeasbeingthesortofcharacterforwhomameretelephonewouldnotbeenoughexcitement。

Thenervesofthosepeoplerequiremoreandmorestimulantstogivethemanysensationatall。Ibelievethatshesitsinhisprivateofficeandwatchestheticker。""

""Whynotgiveheratickerinherbedroomwhileyouareaboutit，Ethel？"Isuggested。"

"ButEthelcouldnotsmile。"Ithinkthatisperfectlyprobable，"sheanswered。Andthen，"Oh，Richard，isn"titmean！"AtthisItookherhand，andshebutagainIabstainfromdwellinguponthosecircumstancesoftheengagedwhicharefamiliartoyouall。"

"ThechangeofMayintoJune，andthechangeofJuneintoJuly，didnotmellowEthel"sbitterfeelings。IrememberthedayafterPetuniasdefaultedontheirinterestthatsheexclaimed，"IhopeIshallnevermeether！"WealwayscalledMr。Beverly"smother"she"now。"ForifI

weretomeether，"continuedEthel，"IfeelIshouldsaysomethingthatI

shouldregret。Oh，Richard，IsupposeweshallhavetogiveupthathouseonParkAvenue！""

"Iputacheerfulandeveninsularfaceonthematter，forIcouldnotbeartoseeEthelsodepressed。Butitwashardworkforme。Somefewofmyinvestmentswereevidentlygood；butitalwaysseemedasifitwasintothesethatIhadhappenedtoputnotmuchmoney，whilethebulkofmyfortunewasentangledintheothers。BesidestheusualMidsummerfaintnessthatovertakesthestockmarket，myownspecialtieswereagooddealmorethanfaint。Onthe20thofAugustItooktheafternoontraintospendmytwoweeks"holidayatLenox；andduringmuchofthejourneyI

gazedattheWallStreeteditionoftheafternoonpaperthatIhadpurchasedasIcamethroughtheGrandCentralStation。EthelandIreaditintheevening。"

""Iwonderwhatshe"sbuyingnow？"saidEthel，vindictively。"

""Well，Ican"thelpfeelingsorryforher，"Ianswered，withasmuchofasmileasIcouldproduce。"

""Thatissounnecessary，Richard！Shecaneasilyaffordtogratifyhergamblinginstinct。""

""Thereyougo，Ethel，inventingmillionsforherjustasyouinventedgrandchildren。""

""Notatall。Unlesssheconstantlyhadmoneylyingidle，shecouldnottakethesecontinualplunges。Sheisanoldwomanwithfewexpenses，andsheliveswellwithinherincome。Youwouldhearofherentertainingifitwasotherwise。Soinsteadofconservativelyinvestinghersurplus，shemakesducksanddrakesofitinherson"soffice。IsheatHydeParknow？"HydeParkwaswheretheoldBeverlycountryseathadalwaysbeen。"