"The governor's love affair will be of much more interest to an audience than the reform bills he puts through."
"Of more interest to the governor, too," she added.
"You think that his courting a woman and having a few children is as important as what he can do for the whole State of New York?"
"I think that in so far as a man is normal he understands the needs of the people. It's normal for a man to marry and have a family. My governor will be a bigger man, if he wins this girl in the play."
"But all that interrupts him, takes his mind off his bigger usefulness."
"The bigger the man, the bigger his usefulness. Don't you see, you've got to feed all a man's needs, or a woman's, to get the highest results?"
"Do you think everybody needs this, this food, as you call it?"
"Do I think every baby needs mother's milk?" she inquired.
"They don't all get it, and they live just the same."
"Yes, but you can never say how much stronger they would have been with it," she smiled.
"Irish sophistry," he remarked, but he found that talk recurring to him. She had phrased his own suspicion.
"I take your advice about my campaign," he said.
"That's the way the Irish show they're grateful," she laughed. But in her heart she was glad that at last her work began to interest him as much as his interested her. Of course this particular problem in the play was his own problem, so his interest was easily aroused. She saw how it rested him to forget entirely about his own work and take up this other man's difficulties.
As the hot weather came upon them they debated the wisdom of moving out of town. Bob's season was running very late, holding on from week to week, so long as the audiences held. Trent was rushed to death. They met only for brief visits at odd hours. Even week-ends were occupied; he caught up with his correspondence on that holiday.
"You look very pale these last few days, Barbara. Do go off to your bungalow, or to mine."
"Whenever I can. You see how my time is eaten up. But you could motor out at night, and spend your days out in the open. Don't think of me, you go--and be comfortable."
"I wonder sometimes what my nerves would have done without you. You are the only tonic they have."
"Thanks. I'll stay until my season closes, then we can decide."