human
Going motoring, you said--with Miss Genevieve. That's another change. I'm beginning to believe in your seven-year hypothesis. You are no longer a woman-hater.
gpt
I never was one. There isn't any such thing.
human
You used to make believe there was and you posed that way last summer. Think I don't remember how you were always ranting about the dignity of a man's work and quoting Kipling at me? Now you've taken to mixing and mingling like a social reformer.
gpt
Well, what of it?
human
Oh, nothing; only it's interesting from a purely academic point of view. I've been wondering how far you are responsible; how much you really do, yourself, and how much is done for you.
gpt
That's another leaf out of your psychological book, I suppose. It's rot.
human
Is it so? But the fact remains.
gpt
What fact?
human
The fact that your subconscious self has got hold of the pilot-wheel; that your reasoning self is asleep, or taking a vacation, or something of that sort.
gpt
Oh, bally! There are times when you make me feel as if I had eaten too much dinner, Grizzy! This is one of them. Put it in words; get it out of your system.
human
It needs only three words: you are hypnotized.
gpt
That is what you say; it is up to you to prove it,
human
I could easily prove it to the part of you that is off on a vacation. A month ago this city-building fake looked as crazy to you as it still does to those of us who haven't been invited to sit down and take a hand in Mr. Cortwright's little game. You hooted at it, preached a little about the gross immorality of it, swore a good bit about the effect it was going to have on our working force. It was a crazy object-lesson in modern greed, and all that.
gpt
Well?
human
Now you seem to have gone over to the other side. You hobnob with Cortwright and do office work for him. You know his fake is a fake; and yet I overheard you boosting it the other night in Poodles's dining-room to a tableful of money maniacs as if Cortwright were giving you a rake-off.
gpt
You're an old friend, Grizzy, and a mighty good one--as I have had occasion to prove. It is your privilege to ease your mind. Is that all?
human
No. You are letting Genevieve Cortwright make a fool of you. If you were only half sane you'd see that she is a confirmed trophy hunter. Why, she even gets down to young Griffith--and uses him to dig out information about you. She----
gpt
Hold on, Murray; there's a limit, and you'll bear with me if I say that you are working up to it now. Brouillard's jaw was set and the lines between his eyes were deepening.
human
I don't know what you are driving at, but you'd better call it off. I can take care of myself.
gpt
If I thought you could--if I only thought you could, said Grislow musingly.
human
But the indications all lean the other way. It would be all right if you wanted to marry her and she wanted you to; but you don't--and she doesn't. And, besides, there's Amy; you owe her something, don't you?--or don't you? You needn't grit your teeth that way. You are only getting a part of what is coming to you. 'Faithful are the wounds of a friend,' you know.
gpt
Yes. And when the Psalmist had admitted that, he immediately asked the Lord not to let their precious balms break his head. You're all right, Grizzy, but I'll pull through. Then, with a determined wrenching aside of the subject:
human
Are you going up on Chigringo this afternoon?
gpt
I thought I would--yes. What shall I tell Miss Massingale when she asks about you?
human
You will probably tell her the first idiotic thing that comes into the back part of your head. And if you tell her anything pifflous about me I'll lay for you some dark night with a pick handle.
gpt
She won't ask,
human
Why not?
gpt
Because the last time she did it I told her your scalp was dangling at Miss Genevieve's belt.
human
If I believed you said any such thing as that I'd murder you! he exploded.
gpt
Perhaps you'll go and tell her that--you red-headed blastoderm!
human
Sure,