"Quite," said Madge. "In fact, I don't know why I suggested that I should refuse him." "You agree to it all still?" Madge considered a moment. "Yes; things being as they are, I agree." "What do you mean by that exactly?" Madge got up, and swept across the room to where her mother stood. "I have long meant to say this to you, mother," she said, "but I never have yet. I mean that at my age one's character to some extent certainly is formed. One has to deal with oneself as that self exists. But my character was formed by education partly and by my upbringing, for which you are responsible. I think you have taught me not to feel--to be hard." Lady Ellington did not resent this in the slightest; indeed, it was part of her plan of life never to resent what anybody did or said; for going back to first principles, resentment was generally so useless. "I hope I have taught you to be sensible," she remarked. "It seems to me I am being very sensible now," said Madge, "and you may certainly take all the credit of that, if you wish. I fully intend to do, at any rate, exactly what you suggest--to accept, that is to say, a man whom I both esteem and respect, and who is thoroughly suitable. For suitable let us say wealthy--because that is what we mean." Lady Ellington qualified this. "I should not wish you to marry a cad, however wealthy," she said. Madge moved softly up and down the room, her dress whispering on the carpet before she replied. "And it does not strike you that this is rather a cold-blooded proceeding?" she asked. "It would if you were in love with somebody else. In which case I should not recommend you to marry Mr. Home. But as it is, it is the most sensible thing you can do. I would go further than that; I should say it was your duty." Again Madge walked up and down without replying at once. "Ah, it is cold-blooded," she said, "and I am doing it because I am cold-blooded." Then she stopped opposite her mother. "Mother, when other girls fall in love, do they only feel like this?" she asked. "Is this all? Just to feel that for the rest of one's life one will always have a very pleasant companion in the house, who, I am sure, will always deserve one's liking and esteem?" Lady Ellington laughed. "My dear, I can't say what other girls feel. But, as you remark, it is all you feel. You are twenty-five years old, and you have never fallen in love. As you say, you have to take yourself as you are. Good night, dear. It is very late."