"Very much. It seemed a trifle low, but you know I always like your
clothes." He was almost pathetically anxious to make up to her for that
moment's disloyalty in the library.
"There!" she said, brushing the papers aside. "Now we're getting at
it. Was I anything like as low as Audrey Valentine? Of course not! Her
back--You just drive me to despair, Clay. Nothing I do pleases you. The
very tone of that secretary of yours to-day, when I told her about that
over-draft--it was positively insulting!"
"I don't like overdrafts," he said, without any irritation. "When you
want extra amounts you have only to let me know."
"You are always finding fault with me," she complained. "It's either
money, or my clothes, or Graham, or something." Her eyes filled. She
looked young and absurdly childish. But a talk he had had with the
rector was still in his mind. It was while they were still at the table,
and Nolan had been attacking the British government.
"We get out of this world largely what we put into it," he had said.
"You give largely, Clay, and you receive largely. I rejoice in your
prosperity, because you have earned it."
"You think, then," he had asked, "that we only receive as we give? I
don't mean material things, of course."
The rector had fixed him with kindly, rather faded old eyes. "That has
been my experience," he said. "Happiness for instance only comes when
we forget our eternal search for it, and try to make others happy. Even
religion is changing. The old selfish idea of saving our own souls has
given way largely to the saving of others, by giving them a chance to
redeem themselves. Decent living conditions--"
He had gone on, but Clayton had not listened very intently. He had been
wondering if happiness was not the thing he had somehow missed. It was
then that he had decided to give the car. If, after all, that would make
for the rector's happiness-"I don't want to find fault with you, Natalie," he said gravely. "I
would like to see you happy. Sometimes I think you are not. I have my
business, but you have nothing to do, and--I suppose you wouldn't be
interested in war-work, would you? There are a lot of committees, and
since I've been in England I realize what a vast amount is needed.
Clothes, you know, and bandages, and--well, everything."