Part 20 (1/2)
Off goes the child. Abducted--kidnapped! And the court had granted him the custody of the child. That's what makes it so terrible. If she is caught anywhere in Europe--well, I don't know what may happen to her. It is just such silly acts as this that make American girls the laughing stocks of the whole world. I give you my word I am almost ashamed to have people point me out and say: 'There goes an American. Pooh!'”
By this time I had myself pretty well in hand.
”I daresay the mother loved the child, which ought to condone one among her mult.i.tude of sins. I take it, of course, that she was entirely to blame for everything that happened.”
They at once proceeded to tear the poor little mother to shreds, delicately and with finesse, to be sure, but none the less completely.
No doubt they meant to be charitable.
”This is what a silly American n.o.body gets for trying to be somebody over here just because her father has a trunkful of millions,” said Elsie, concluding a rather peevish estimate of the conjugal effrontery laid at the door of Mr. Pless's late wife.
”Or just because one of these spendthrift foreigners has a t.i.tle for sale,” said Billy Smith sarcastically.
”He was deeply in love with her when they were married,” said his wife.
”I don't believe it was his fault that they didn't get along well together.”
”The truth of the matter is,” said Elsie with finality, ”she couldn't live up to her estate. She was a drag, a stone about his neck. It was like putting one's waitress at the head of the table and expecting her to make good as a hostess.”
”What was her social standing in New York?” I enquired.
”Oh, good enough,” said Betty Billy. ”She was in the smartest set, if that is a recommendation.”
”Then you admit, both of you, that the best of our American girls fall short of being all that is required over here. In other words, they can't hold a candle to the Europeans.”
”Not at all,” they both said in a flash.
”That's the way it sounds to me.”
Elsie seemed repentant. ”I suppose we are a little hard on the poor thing. She was very young, you see.”
”What you mean to say, then, is that she wasn't good enough for Mr.
Pless and his coterie.”
”No, not just precisely that,” admitted Betty Billy Smith. ”She made a bid for him and got him, and my contention is that she should have lived up to the bargain.”
”Wasn't he paid in full?” I asked, with a slight sneer.
”What do you mean?”
”Didn't he get his money?”
”I am sure I don't see what money has to do with the case,” said Elsie, with dignity. ”Mr. Pless is a poor man I've heard. There could not have been very much of a marriage settlement.”
”A mere million to start with,” remarked Billy Smith ironically. ”It's all gone, my dear Elsie, and I gather that father-in-law locked the trunk you speak of and hid the key. You don't know women as well as I do, Mr. Smart. Both of these charming ladies professed to adore Mr.
Pless's wife up to the time the trial for divorce came up. Now they've got their hammers and hat-pins out for her and--”
”That isn't true, Billy Smith,” cried Elsie in a fierce whisper. ”We stood by her until she disobeyed the mandate--or whatever you call it--of the court. She did steal the child, and you can't deny it.”
”Poor little kiddie,” said he, and from his tone I gathered that all was not rosy in the life of the infant in this game of battledore and shuttlec.o.c.k.