“I think, if Madame is tired, I could finish alone.” Marie lifted a face that manifested hope from the bottom of a trunk, but Madame shook her head. It was one of her principles to see to everything herself and so gain the proud consciousness of utter exhaustion in doing her duty.
Lena glanced enviously about the heaped up gowns and lacy lingerie. It made her own stock seem mean.
“Perhaps it will amuse you to look these over while I am busy,” Mrs. Appleton went on good-humoredly, pushing a leather-bound case across the table toward Lena’s arm. Mrs. Percival lifted out one little tray after another with growing sullenness. The profusion of jewels gave her no pleasure. She slammed the trays back in place.
“Did Mr. Appleton give you all of these?” she demanded.
“Yes. Isn’t he generous? But he says that my type of beauty is one that can stand lavish decoration.”
“He’s certainly more free than Dick,” Lena said with bald envy, reviewing her own small store that a few short months ago had seemed to her like the wealth of Ormus and of Ind.
“My dear,” Mrs. Appleton exclaimed with a self-conscious laugh, “you can hardly expect Dick Percival to rival Humphrey.”
Mrs. Percival felt bitterly her friend’s loftiness of position. It was of course impossible for a woman to feel superior to what she owns and Mrs. Appleton owned more and always would own more than Lena Percival. “Do you know, my love,” Mrs. Appleton pursued, “I think your husband is making a great mistake in going in for petty politics. With his pull, and his fair amount of capital to start with, he ought to be able to make a fortune. He’s just throwing his life away.”
“Don’t you suppose I know it?” Lena cried tearfully. “I’ve told him so a hundred times. He’s just crazy over these nasty little things. He’s willing to sacrifice anything to get the place of ward alderman away from some miserable Swede. Think of me tied in town all summer!”
“I wouldn’t stand it,” Mrs. Appleton answered absently, her eyes on Marie, stuffing tissue paper in a sleeve. “A woman has such influence on her husband. Take matters in your own hands, my dear.”