"Well, they have themselves to thank, if they are." She was now addressing the count, and two or three ladies seated near her on the edge of their chairs. "Very true!" sighed one of the latter. "I know," said the count. "I haf read it in th' papers to-day t'at t'ey vill what you call strike. T'ey should be--vhat you call, put down." "Of course they should. It almost makes one despair of mankind," chimed in Mrs. Gillis, who, though standing, could not tear herself away. As she stood buttoning at a glove, I suddenly recalled her standing at the foot of a flight of steps looking with cold eyes at a child's funeral. "Yes, their ingratitude! It does, indeed," said Mrs. Argand. "My agent--ah! your husband--says I shall have to make repairs that will take up every bit of the rents of any number of my houses--and two of my largest warehouses. I have to repair them, of course. And then if this strike really comes, why, he says it will cost our city lines alone--oh! I don't know how much money. But I hate to talk about money. It is so sordid!" She sat back in her chair. "Yes, indeed," assented the bejewelled lady she addressed. "I don't even like to think about it. I would like just to be able to draw my cheque for whatever I want and never hear the word _money_--like you, Mrs. Argand. But one can't do it," she sighed. "Why, my mail----" "Why don't you do as I do?" demanded Mrs. Argand, who had no idea of having the conversation taken away from her in her own house. "My secretary opens all those letters and destroys them. I consider it a great impertinence for any one whom I don't know to write to me, and, of course, I don't acknowledge those letters. My agent----" "My dear, we must go," said the lady nearest her to her companion. As the two ladies swept out they stopped near me to look at a picture, and one of them said to the other: "Did you ever hear a more arrogant display in all your life? Her secretary! Her interest--her duties! As if we didn't all have them!" "Yes, indeed. And her agent! That's my husband!" "But I do think she was right about that man's pushing in----" "Oh! yes, about that--she was, but she need not be parading her money before us. My husband made it for old Argand." "My husband says the Argand Estate is vilely run, that they have the worst tenements in the city and charge the highest rents." "Do you know that my husband is her--agent?" "Is he? Why, to be sure; but of course, she is responsible." "Yes, she's the cause of it." "And they pay more for their franchises than any one else. Why, my husband says that Coll McSheen, who is the lawyer of the Argand Estate, is the greatest briber in this city. I suppose he'll be buying a count next. I don't see how your husband stands him. He's so refined--such a----" "Well, they have to have business dealings together, you know." "Yes. They say he just owns the council, and now he's to be mayor." "I know."