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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 you？〃
She hesitated now； but only for an instant。 She colored a little；
but she answered bravely。
〃I suppose I do；〃 she said； 〃but what of it？ It is not unheard of；
is it； the taking one's prospective son…in…law into partnership？〃
〃No； but We're dodging the issue again； Madeline。 If I were
likely to be of any help to your father's business； instead of a
hindrance； I might perhaps see it differently。 As it is； I
couldn't accept unless I were willing to be an object of charity。〃
〃Did you tell Father that？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What did he say？〃
〃He said a good deal。 He was frank enough to say that he did not
expect me to be of great assistance to the firm。 But I might be of
SOME usehe didn't put it as baldly as that； of courseand at all
times I could keep on with my writing； with my poetry； you know。
The brokerage business should not interfere with my poetry； he
said； your mother would scalp him if it did that。〃
She smiled faintly。 〃That sounds like dad；〃 she commented。
〃Yes