Part 12 (1/2)

Selma listened, abhorrent yet fascinated. It worried her to be told that what she had been accustomed to regard as gambling should be so quickly and richly rewarded. Yet the fairy scene around her manifestly confirmed the prosperous language of her host and left no room for doubt that her neighbors were making brilliant progress. Apparently, too, this business of speculation and of vast combinations of railroad and other capital, the details of which were very vague to her, was, in his opinion, the most desirable and profitable of callings.

”Do you know,” she said, ”that I have been taught to believe that to speculate in stocks is rather dreadful, and that the people of the country don't approve of it.” She spoke smilingly, for the leaven of the New York manner was working, but she could not refrain from testifying on behalf of righteousness.

”The people of the country!” exclaimed Gregory, with a smile of complacent amus.e.m.e.nt. ”My dear Mrs. Littleton, you must not let yourself be deceived by the Sunday school, Fourth of July, legislative or other public utterances of the American people. It isn't necessary to shout it on the house-tops, but I will confide to you that, whatever they may declaim or publish to the contrary, the American people are at heart a nation of gamblers. They don't play little horses and other games in public for francs, like the French, for the law forbids it, but I don't believe that any one, except we bankers and brokers, realizes how widely exists the habit of playing the stock-market. Thousands of people, big and little, sanctimonious and highly respectable, put up their margins and reap their profits or their losses. Oh no, the country doesn't approve of it, especially those who lose. I a.s.sure you that the letters which pa.s.s through the post-office from the G.o.dly, freeborn voters in the rural districts would tell an eloquent story concerning the wishes of the people of the country in regard to speculation.”

Flossy was rising from table as he finished, so he accompanied the close of his statement with a sweeping bow which comported with his jaunty dignity.

”I am afraid you are a wicked man. You ought not to slander the American people like that,” Selma answered, pleased as she spoke at the light touch which she was able to impart to her speech.

”It's true. Every word of it is true,” he said as she pa.s.sed him. He added in a low tone--”I would almost even venture to wager a pair of gloves that at some time or other your husband has had a finger in the pie.”

”Never,” retorted Selma.

”What is that Gregory is saying?” interrupted Flossy, putting her arm inside Selma's. ”I can see by his look that he has been plaguing you.”

”Yes, he has been trying to shatter my ideals, and now he is trying to induce me to make an odious bet with him.”

”Don't, for you would be certain to lose. Gregory is in great luck nowadays.”

”That is evident, for he has had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Littleton,” said Williams gallantly.

The two men were left alone with their cigars. After these were lighted, as if he were carrying out his previous train of thought, Gregory remarked, oracularly, at the end of a puff: ”Louisville and Nashville is certain to sell higher.”

Littleton looked blank for a moment. He knew so little of stocks that at first he did not understand what was meant. Then he said, politely: ”Indeed!”

”It is good for a ten-point rise in my opinion,” Williams continued after another puff. He was of a liberal nature, and was making a present of this tip to his guest in the same spirit of hospitality as he had proffered the dinner and the champagne. He was willing to take for granted that Littleton, as a gentleman, would give him the order in case he decided to buy, which would add another customer to his list. But his suggestion was chiefly disinterested.

”I'm afraid I know very little about such matters,” Littleton responded with a smile. ”I never owned but ten shares of stock in my life.” Then, by way, perhaps, of showing that he was not indifferent to all the good things which the occasion afforded, he said, indicating a picture on the opposite wall: ”That is a fine piece of color.”

Williams, having discharged his obligations as a host, was willing to exchange the stock-market as a topic for his own capacity as a lightning appreciator and purchaser of objects of art.

”Yes,” he said, urbanely, ”that is a good thing. I saw it in the shop-window, asked the price and bought it. I bought two other pictures at the same time. 'I'll take that, and that, and that,' I said, pointing with my cane. The dealer looked astonished. He was used, I suppose, to having people come in and look at a picture every day for a fortnight before deciding. When I like a thing I know it. The three cost me eighteen hundred dollars, and I paid for them within a week by a turn in the market.”

”You were very fortunate,” said Littleton, who wished to seem sympathetic.

Meanwhile the two wives had returned to the drawing-room arm in arm, and established themselves on one of those small sofas for two, constructed so that the sitters are face to face. They had taken a strong fancy to each other, especially Flossy to Selma, and in the half hour which followed they made rapid progress toward intimacy. Before they parted each had agreed to call the other by her Christian name, and Selma had confided the story of her divorce. Flossy listened with absorbed interest and murmured at the close:

”Who would have thought it? You look so pure and gentle and refined that a man must have been a brute to treat you like that. But you are happy now, thank goodness. You have a husband worthy of you.”

Each had a host of things still unsaid when Littleton and Williams joined them.

”Well, my dear,” said Wilbur as they left the house, ”that was a sort of Arabian Nights entertainment for us, wasn't it? A little barbaric, but handsome and well intentioned. I hope it didn't shock you too much.”

”It struck me as very pleasant, Wilbur. I think I am beginning to understand New York a little better. Every thing costs so much here that it seems necessary to make money, doesn't it? I don't see exactly how poor people get along. Do you know, Mr. Williams wished to bet me a pair of gloves that you buy stocks sometimes.”

”He would have lost his bet.”

”So I told him at once. But he didn't seem to believe me. I was sure you never did. He appears to be very successful; but I let him see that I knew it was gambling. You consider it gambling, don't you?”

”Not quite so bad as that. Some stock-brokers are gamblers; but the occupation of buying and selling stocks for a commission is a well recognized and fas.h.i.+onable business.”