Page:The Smart Set (Volume 1).djvu/133

"IF I had a million—" began James Eglinton, looking thoughtfully at the fire.

"If you had a million—" echoed Mrs. Eglinton, just a trifle sarcastically.

James continued to look thoughtfully at the fire.

"Well," said his wife, impatiently, "if you had a million?"

"I should be happy."

"No doubt. But what would you do?"

"Very little."

"I can quite believe you."

"I should be happy," said James, still looking at the fire and speaking with great deliberation, "because I should be able, without any effort or trouble on my part, to make things so delightfully uncomfortable for you."

"How very kind of you! How thoughtful! How generous!"

"Now," pursued James, ignoring her remarks, "you have the advantage of me; you have me, in fact, completely at your mercy. You are my wife, and my wife must be decently clothed, decently lodged, decently cared for. I can do no less—for my wife. She is also my enemy. I am sorry. She has broken her covenant. I keep mine, so far as I am able to understand it. I can do no less, without shame."

"No less! Why not more, dear, self-righteous man?"

"More is not needed. No woman could complain, reasonably, when placed in the position which has been secured for you. That is how I have kept my implied agreement. I have given you a decent position. It so happens that my income will not allow me to do more."

"So you say."

"Exactly. But if I were a millionaire I should be able to do much more. I could accomplish great things for my wife—if I wished. I could buy for her jewelry—marvelous jewelry—such as few women can hope to possess; diamonds, immensity of diamonds, as immensity is counted among precious stones; pearls, great strings of flawless pearls, which empresses and queens might covet. I could give her horses and carriages, fine, high-stepping horses, and carriages of every description—not one poor solitary brougham. I could secure for her free and willing admission into the great social life which all women of her position have dreamed and wondered and thought about as the most desirable of all the things they would covet, if they dared to let themselves hope so wildly and absurdly. I could buy for her dresses, expensive dresses, which are really works of art, and which would set off her beauty perfectly and make her irresistible. I could purchase a house—or houses—which would more than satisfy her natural craving to be the mistress of an important and thoroughly well equipped residence. I could give her thousands of dollars, tens of thousands, for her own private use—money which she could spend freely and unregretfully, knowing that more would follow it. Yes, I could do very striking things for my wife if I had a million."

She listened to him with increasing amazement.