"You have learned nothing to their discredit, I am sure," she said confidently.
"No; as the fast world wags, they're respectable enough----"
"Oh, Sarah, I didn't mean it in any sinister sense.... They're merely rather gay--into everything everywhere--dancing all night, riding, motoring all over the shop.... They're pretty girls, and good ones, too, I guess.... But the world has gone by us, mother. It's developed speed. That's what I mean by fast."
"If it were not for the children's sake, I would be glad to be left behind," she said, smiling.
"So would I. Damn this gim-crack fol-de-rol!"
"Excuse me.... We'll do what we ought to; the children want New York, and I'm going to give it to them if I can.... So I guess you'd better caution Jack about that girl."
"It's too far off to count; besides, it's not a good enough gamble. As far as that goes, I'm not satisfied that Jim Edgerton is good enough."
"If I'd stuck to all I've said, you'd still be doing the family cooking, dear. Jim Edgerton does, or did, go everywhere in New York.... I wonder how far he could take our daughter with him? ... Wait, Sarah--I'm not reflecting on Christine; I'm only speculating. How do I know about the customs and habits of the New York fauna? I want to go slow. I don't care how little money he has, or even how much he might have had; _I'll_ do that part. But, first, I want to know exactly where he can take Christine. The knot hole may be too big for her."
"They sent you a report from New York, dear. You have a full list of all his relatives."
"I know--I know. If he had none, I wouldn't be afraid. It's a man's relatives who act nasty, not his friends.... Does Christine seem to like him?"
"The child is frankly devoted to him.... I don't know if it means anything more than friendship. Christine is a strange girl. There was young Inwood----"
"Everybody's beau! Glad she shipped him.... But to return to Jack--what's your opinion?"
"I don't know. He is with Silvette so much; he is such a dear boy----"
"Tell him plainly we don't want her. I like her myself, but there's better material.... Other things aside, I don't want my boy to marry a girl who plays cards the way she does."
"No, no! She's as square as a die; but she wins too much, stakes too much--smokes too much, drinks too many cocktails--she and her sister, too. Why, they've won steadily at cards from the beginning. They've a genius for it. _I_ never saw such playing. Poor cards don't worry them; and they never take the shadow of advantage, never whine, never ask questions; there's never an impatient word, a look of protest--and the judge and the colonel are beasts to play with!--and if there ever seems to be the slightest doubt or indication of a dispute over any point, those girls instantly concede it--cheerfully, too! They're clean-cut sports--thoroughbred.... But, by God! I don't want Jack to marry a gambler!"