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。"