He had wondered what these women paid for what they got from men. He believed now that he had found the answer. They paid with their bodies, their kisses, the encircling of arms, the cooing of tender words. In return for so much money they granted permission to spend yet more.
He studied Persis; how beautiful she was, how soft and gracile, how apt to endearments! Yet she held herself at a price, at a high price, and called it pride, self-protection. What was it but self-exploitation?
Yet what man ever desired an object less because it was beyond his means? Persis was certainly no less adorable to Forbes because he could not buy her. He would have to get along without her. But, having once held her in his arms while she held him in hers, he would never cease to desire her. Like the father of a spendthrift child, he rather felt ashamed of himself for being incompetent to meet her demands, than contemned her for making them.
After a while of silent meditation Mrs. Neff spoke up, briskly:
"There's only one thing that would rest me, and that's a tango. Where are those records we bought this afternoon?"
On the homeward way the motor party had passed a shop where disks were kept, and had bought up the entire visible supply of latter-day tunes to replace the dances of yesteryear. There was general agreement that it was high time to turkey-trot again.
"I'll run the machine," said Winifred. "Bob Fielding isn't here, and I'll be true to his memory for a dance or two."
"I choose to dance with Major General Forbes," said Mrs. Neff, "unless he's otherwise engaged."
"Before we dance," said Willie, "I have an announcement to make. Ladies and gentlemen, so to speak"--he cleared his throat and ran his fingers round inside his tight collar--"I am about to--er--give birth--er--to an after-dinner speech--my first and only."
"Some time ago Miss Persis--er--Cabot, whom you all know, did me the--er--unspeakable honor of consenting to become Mrs. William--er--Enslee. Circumstances rendered it--er--advisable to defer--er--the publication of the glorious--er--news, so to speak. But Miss Cabot has to-night given me--er--permission to announce--"
"I have not!" Persis broke in; but Willie put up his hand.