"And that, even if it is true, may be only the result of sordid
surroundings." Madeline's heart misgave her, for she had learned to
respect Mrs. Percival's judgments. "She'll blossom out and add
womanliness to beauty in such an atmosphere as you and Dick will give
her."
"Spontaneous generation will not do everything. You must have the germ
of a heart before you can develop the whole thing. Do you think you can
really change a girl who has lived for twenty years in the wrong
attitude?"
"You are judging cruelly," Madeline cried. "Of course every one has the
germs of good."
"And did it ever occur to you that the kind of love that Dick will give
his wife may be too good--so far above a coarse-grained woman that it
will not touch her comprehension? A lower grade of man might bring her
out better."
"It's impossible to think of so exquisite a creature being
coarse-grained," Madeline exclaimed. "I, for one, am going to believe in
her, and in a year, with you and Dick and mother and Mrs. Lenox and
myself all backing her, you'll be proud of her loveliness and tact. I
shall be only Cinderella's ugly sister. But you must not ever quite
forget me, Mrs. Percival." And Madeline laughed most cheerfully.
Mrs. Percival smiled in return. "Well, I have had my explosion. It's
extraordinary what a relief it is, once in a while. I'm not often so
guilty, am I, Madeline? After all, I've told you my fears rather than my
convictions. The situation does not seem so bad, now that I have said
even more than I think. Hereafter I shall find it easy to hold my
tongue."
"And you will try to like her?" Madeline asked anxiously.
"Of course, my dear. I shall try harder than any one else. I am going in
state to pay her a motherly call this very afternoon, feeling all the
time like a plated volcano." Mrs. Percival leaned back with a small
moue, then sat up again. "There's my boy's latch-key in the
lock now," she said.
Dick halted at the door when he saw the two and knew that they must have
been talking of him. He had something of an air of defiance thickly
overlaid with innocence; but Madeline went to meet him with hands
outstretched.
"Dick," she exclaimed, "I congratulate you with all my heart. She's the
prettiest creature in the world."
Dick, manlike, regarded this as the highest possible tribute to his
beloved and glowed in return. His defiance dropped like a shell and he
shook Madeline's hands with enthusiasm.
"You're a trump," he said. "I shall not forget how good you have been to
her; and I hope you two will always be friends."
"I should think so! I should like to see your trying to prevent us,
Dick," said Madeline saucily. "And your mother is going to love her,
too, when--"