“I haven’t an interest in women. I was just thinking that I’d like to know how to make things a bit easier for Cecily.” He sounded quite serious and anxious for confidence. Matthew dropped his air of banter and stood at the window staring down over the miles of commercial roofs below him. It was immensely difficult for them both to go on and yet they both wanted to. Matthew began at the beginning. “Are things hard for Cecily?” Dick looked at him squarely. “I rather thought you guessed she was a bit blue when you took her away from the dance that night during Christmas week.” “I thought she was tired out, if that’s what you’re driving at. I should think you’d expect that. A woman who has three children----” “For God’s sake, don’t begin that. I can’t have them myself, can I? And it isn’t just babies and servants.” “No, but you have to understand that the strain----” “I know all about that. I haven’t had it off my mind for three years. I am trying to get it off Cecily’s mind. That’s the reason I think she ought to get about a bit--judging from the way I feel myself.” “That’s it, Dick.” “What’s it?” “Judging from the way you feel yourself, you think Cecily ought to want the things you want. Instead, she wants something else.” “I wish I knew what it was. I’d do anything on God’s earth if I could find out what it is.” “She wants what you can’t give her, I think.” A glimmer of proprietary jealousy came into Dick’s eyes. “How in hell do you know so much about it?” “Now, look here, Dick; you began this conversation, you know----” “I know I did. And I want to go on with it. What is it Cecily wants that she hasn’t got and that I can’t give her?” Matthew looked a little nonplussed and embarrassed. “This is a fool of a conversation.” “But I want to know.” “Well, I should say that Cecily wants love.” “What!” cried Dick, getting up. “Who?” “Oh, as far as that goes, you; unfortunately, you alone.” “And you have the damned nerve to say I can’t give her that.” Matthew seemed imperturbable. “Not her kind.” “Maybe you think that you could.” “Don’t be so primitive, Dick. I don’t think any such rotten thing. If you will chain your spirited desires to do murder for a moment I’ll finish what I was about to say--what you urged me to say after having dragged me into this conversation. I think that Cecily is so attuned to delicacy and to fine things--so in love with her love of you--that any suggestion of coarseness or let down, any slight deterioration of quality in feeling, any fear that you are becoming cheapened by the wrong kind of people or the wrong kind of amusement (and most of the amusement she sees is tawdry in her eyes), hurts her--more than hurts her.” “It’s very highbrow,” said Dick, “but I suppose you mean she wants a perpetual honeymoon.” Matthew threw up his hands. “There you go--vaudeville stuff again.”