"I am not partial to him myself, but it makes no odds." "I wish he might die!--oh no, no! Now I am become ill-natured again--I don't wish it--only I am so tired of everything. You shall have that money as soon as possible; but be careful, Tracy--please be careful! 'Tis not easy to get money from Dick!" "No, I should imagine not. However, we have managed rather well up to the present, take it all in all." "Up to the present he has had all the money he wanted. My lord denied him nought!" "Well, 'tis unfortunate, as I said before, but it must be endured. Where is Dick?" "I know not. You will stay to dinner, Tracy?" "Thank you. I shall be charmed." "Yes, yes--oh, how prodigiously pleasant it is to see you again! Soon I shall come to Andover. Will you let me stay a few days?" "The question is, will Richard allow you to stay so long in my contaminating presence?" "Richard would never keep me away, Tracy!" she replied proudly. "He _could_ not. Oh, why is it that I don't love him more? Why do I not care for him as much as I care for you even?" "My dear Lavinia, like all Belmanoirs, you care first for yourself and secondly for the man who masters you. That, alas! Richard has not yet succeeded in doing." "But I _do_ love Richard. I do, I do, yet--" "Exactly. 'Yet!' The 'grand passion' has not yet touched you, my dear, and you are quite self-absorbed." "Self-absorbed! Those are hard words." "But not too hard for the case. You think solely of yourself, your own pleasure, your own character, your own feelings. If you could cast yourself into the background a little, you would be less excitable and considerably less discontented." "How dare you, Tracy! Pray, what of you? Are you so selfless?" "Not at all. I am precisely the same. I was merely suggesting that you might be happier an you could depose 'self.'" "You had best do the same yourself!" "My dear Lavinia, when I feel the need of greater happiness, I most undoubtedly shall. At present I am quite content." "You are unkind!" she protested. "And you sneer at me." "Pray, accept my heartfelt apologies! You shall come to Andover if the worthy Richard permits." Her face cleared as by magic. "Oh, Tracy! Oh, I am so desirous to be gay once more! I cannot even receive now, on account of this mourning! But when I am at Andover--oh, we will not worry over anything, and I can be bad-tempered without feeling that someone is being hurt by me! Oh, come to Dicky at once--at once!" He rose leisurely. "I can imagine that you try Richard's patience somewhat," he remarked. "Happily, your impetuosity in no way disturbs me. We will go in search of Richard." Half-way down the great staircase she perceived her husband, and flew to meet him. "Richard, I was coming in search of you! Tracy has invited me to Andover for a week--he purposes to ask several people to stay, and there will be parties--and entertainment! You will let me go? Say yes, Dicky--say yes, quickly!"