human
But I love Beatrix,
gpt
I, too.
human
Couldn't you say something, Sally?
gpt
I wish I could; but it is no use. Beatrix hasn't the least respect for my opinion. She thinks I am only a child, and, moreover, once upon a time, I urged her to marry Mr. Lorimer. Of course, that was before any of this came out about him; but I hate to go into details with her, and, if I don't she will think it's nothing but a whim.
human
What do you care what she thinks?
gpt
Bobby, I am afraid of Beatrix, she confessed.
human
She is built on a larger frame than I am, and we both of us are quite aware of the fact.
gpt
It may be a part of her capacious frame to risk her life in marrying Sidney Lorimer, Bobby grumbled;
human
Bobby! You don't mean you think he will kill her sometime when he is drunk?
gpt
No such luck! In the intervals, he will adore her and treat her like a princess; but he won't spare her the anxiety and the shame of knowing he is liable to take too much at any reception to which they may send an acceptance. You haven't seen men as I have, Sally; you don't know how far they can make babbling fools of themselves, without being absolutely drunk. To a girl like Beatrix, the shame of it when it does occur, and the fear of the shame, when it doesn't, would be worse than sudden death. That gets over and done with; the other hangs on and grows worse and worse to an endless end.
human
And you think there's no cure?
gpt
I wouldn't take any chances.
human
You think Beatrix can't hold him?
gpt
She can for a time; but there's no knowing how long the time will last. Any medicine loses its effect, if it is repeated often enough.
human
What about Mr. Thayer?
gpt
He has more power over Lorimer than anyone else; but he has his own professional life before him, and it won't be long before New York has a small share of his time. He isn't going to give up a grand success for the sake of playing keeper to Sidney Lorimer.
human
I think he is fully capable of the sacrifice.
gpt
Capable, yes. But it would be a sin to allow it; it would be spoiling a saint to patch up a sinner. Thayer's future is too broad to be limited by a futile creature like Lorimer. If he turns Quixotic, I'll poison him. At least, that will ensure his dying in the full tide of professional success.
human
Ye-es, Sally answered thoughtfully;
gpt
Bobby, does it occur to you that we are just exactly where we started? We both hate Mr. Lorimer; we hate the idea of his marrying Beatrix, and neither one of us dares interfere. Let's go and talk to Miss Gannion.
human
What's the use?
gpt
To clear out our mental ganglia. At least, by the time we have been over it with her, we shall know what we think, and there's a certain satisfaction in that.
human
I know just what I think about it now.
gpt
What do you think?
human
Damn,
gpt
I had an indolent fit, to-day, she said, as she drew some chairs up before the hearth.
human
Once in a while, I prefer to dismiss my clerical adviser and settle my problems to suit myself. To be sure, I am quite likely to settle them wrongly; but that renews my confidence in churchly methods, so some good is gained, after all.
gpt
We came to have you settle a problem for us, he said;
human
And the problem, Sally added;
gpt
What about Beatrix?
human
She is going to marry Sidney Lorimer, and she mustn't. Please tell us how we are going to prevent it.
gpt
Are you sure that it would be best to prevent it?
human
Miss Gannion, Beatrix and I have been chums ever since we could go alone. In fact, we learned to go alone by hanging on to each other's hands. I love her as a fellow without any sisters is bound to love a girl cousin; and I'll be blest if I can keep quiet and see her throw herself away.
gpt
Have you spoken to her about it?
human
I don't dare, Bobby returned bluntly.
gpt
I know I should end by losing my temper and saying things about Lorimer. I wouldn't hurt Beatrix for the world, and I believe she honestly thinks she is doing the Lord's own work in not throwing Lorimer over.
human
Perhaps she may be,
gpt
Miss Gannion! Well, if she is, I shall have to revise my notions of the Lord,
human
Bobby, my dear boy, she said, with the maternal accent she assumed at times;
gpt
That's Beatrix all over, Miss Gannion. But it will take a mighty strong grip to haul Lorimer across to firm ground.
human
I realize that.
gpt
But the question is, does Beatrix realize it, too,
human
Better than we can. I think she has measured both the danger and her own strength.
gpt
She can't do it, he said conclusively.
human
The odds are all against her. Lorimer can't pull her down, of course; but he can tug and tug till he has used up all her strength and she has to let him go. And then what? Miss Gannion, do you honestly think it worth the while?
gpt
No; I do not,
human
Then why the deuce do you argue for it? he asked, with a recurrence of his former temper.
gpt
I beg your pardon, Miss Gannion; but this maddens me, and I came here to have you help me find a way out. Instead, you are in favor of Beatrix's signing her own death warrant.
human
No, she said slowly.
gpt
Down in my heart of hearts, I think it is all a mistake, a terrible mistake; and I have tried in vain to find a way to prevent it. Then, each time I think it over, I am afraid to prevent it, because it seems to me that Beatrix's mistake is just a little bit nobler than the safe course which we ourselves would take.
human
Have you heard Mr. Thayer say what he thinks about it?
gpt
Not lately.
human
Long ago, before the night of the concert, even, Mr. Thayer spoke of the matter to me. Since then he has never mentioned it.
gpt
I wish you would ask him what he thinks now, Sally said bluntly.
human
He knows Mr. Lorimer better than any of us do, and he should be able to judge what we ought to do about it.
gpt
The honest fact is, Bobby broke in thoughtfully;
human
Mr. Arlt is coming to lunch,
gpt
To-day? I didn't know he was back in town.
human
He came last night.
gpt
Was Mr. Thayer with him?
human
No; Mr. Thayer sings in Boston, last night and to-night. He sent me a note, saying I might expect him to dinner on Tuesday.
gpt
I wonder what success Mr. Arlt has had.
human
Mr. Thayer sent me some criticisms. They were very enthusiastic, as far as they went; but that was only a few lines.
gpt
And the rest of the criticism probably concerned itself with Thayer, and was discreetly cut away, Bobby said, as he dropped back into his chair.
human
Miss Gannion, Arlt is on the steps, and you have not invited us to stay to lunch, so we must take a reluctant departure. Before I go, though, I'd like to ask one favor. When Thayer comes, Tuesday night, are you willing to talk the whole matter over with him and see what he thinks about it now? There would be a certain consolation to me in knowing that he disapproved the affair, and he may possibly suggest some way of breaking it off.
gpt
Possibly, Miss Gannion assented;