"It was always a proud giving. That charity did not come from kindness, it came from pride."
"No, Duchess; you are taking an unfair advantage of yourself."
"I think not, Mrs. Moss. But I need not talk penitence now. If this--this tendency holds me to-morrow, as I can truly say I hope it will, I shall do better by expressing it in deeds. I want now, if you please, to speak with you on a more serious question, and to invite your co-operation."
Mrs. Moss wriggled. "It is coming!" she told herself. This sounded so like the familiar prelude to a begging appeal.
She was agreeably disappointed. The Duchess did not even look the word purse-strings, but still required something that involved sacrifice.
"You have, of course, heard of these municipal Christmas festivities?" she asked.
"I only read certain pages of certain papers--in Society one must be careful; but, yes, I have heard something about them--sufficient to know that they are amusements for the many, not for the few. I belong to the few."
"They are for all," murmured the Duchess.
"Then I fear I can take but little interest in them."
Bim raised the wand vindictively; June motioned him to wait. He obeyed.
"I am sorry to hear you say so!" The Duchess was shocked at this amazing indifference, being herself possessed of the convert’s earnestness.
There was a weight of meaning in the interjection. Not for the eighth of an instant had Mrs. Moss dreamed that the supremely exclusive Duchess of Armingham could truly sympathize or co-operate in those corporate efforts. She knew, only too well, that the "certain pages" she condescended to read had mentioned the Duchess as one of the dissentient minority, and because of that very abstention had herself refrained from joining the movement, and had infected her followers with a similar intention.
Now had come a new change. Her keen, shrewd wits were absolutely bewildered. What should she do? She answered her question by doing nothing, by listening.
"I am sorry to hear you say so," the Duchess repeated, "because it is a unique effort on the part of all. Never before have we had such a union of people of all degrees and classes, as are joined in making this effort."
"But--but--forgive me, Duchess--surely you?" The question was not verbally completed, but it shone in the lady’s eye.