“Old stuff, but it gets them because they’ve forgotten it in all the talk about the new stuff. There’s a shoddy kind of fatalism settling down over too many people. If we’re going to the dogs, let’s go--let’s have a good time while we’re going. Let each one of us get all the pleasure we can out of things with the least work and above all let’s have no sacrifices. It’s shoddy--more so than the old type of greed when men piled up fortunes for the sake of excitement and spent their money in gorgeous ways. Fortunes now go for gasoline and head waiters and jazz.” Dick looked at him a bit oddly. “Is this a national or a personal indictment?” “National absolutely, except in so far as every individual contributes to the composite temper of the nation. And anyway it’s not an indictment. It’s an attempt at analysis. The condition may not be our fault at all and if it is our fault it’s hard to find the initial sin. It’s probably an inevitable condition. Blame it on the war if you like. Its shoulders are broad.” “They need to be. When are you getting off? Saturday or Monday?” “Monday, if you’ll come out into the woods with me over Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise Saturday.” “Where to?” “Anywhere. I’d like to cool my brain before I go away and I’d like a couple of days with you. We could go to Lake Carmine and spend the night at my cabin.” “Sure, I’ll go.” The still woods charmed them both. They drew off a thousand worries. The fishing was poor and the lake too cold for more than a quick swim, but there were the woods and the quiet and the long walks that were so peacefully reflective and talks about everything that mattered. Out in the midst of the forest it did not embarrass either of them to unload their deepest and most philosophic meditations. Yet it was not until the afternoon of the second day had waned that either of them mentioned Cecily. They were smoking on the little wharf which edged the lake watching the sun fall behind the hills. “Cecily would like this,” said Matthew quietly. “Um----” said Dick. “By the way, I went to see her the other night. I wanted to tell you that I did.” “She well?” “Seems to be. Pretty lonely, I guess. I wish I could do something for you two.” “That’s all right. We’ve closed that chapter, Mat.” “I suggested to Cecily that she open a new one with me. She declined very promptly and fittingly. I was too excited for a moment to see straight.” Dick, who had turned angrily at the first words, grinned suddenly. “Well, you are a cool old duck. What was the idea? What was going to happen to Fliss and the Senatorial career?” “Temporarily I forgot even Fliss, to say nothing of the latter factor. I’m awfully fond of Cecily, you know.” “So she turned you down, did she?”