“Take back that word, Lizzette!” exclaimed Herbert hotly. “Disgrace and Herbert Lynn never went together, and never will, please God. It is no disgrace to love—what is beautiful and right.”
Lizzette caught at his words quickly. “Tell me, Herbeart, ees eet only ze passing fancy, or ze strong man’s love?”
The blood flamed into Herbert’s face as he answered passionately: “Would to heaven it was only a passing fancy; but I am afraid the ugly truth is that I’m in love, as it is called, for the first time in my life.”
“C’est triste! C’est triste!” murmured Lizzette. “Helen vill be zo angry, and eet ees so—so—out of ze right vay.”
“Nonsense!” exclaimed Herbert. “The right way doesn’t depend upon any old-world ideas of aristocracy. Were I ten times a King Cophetua, I should sue my little maid right royally, if there were only a little less scorn in her eyes. I tell you, Lizzette, there is so much unhappiness bred in this world by false ideas as to what is due to position, and there are so many mercenary and loveless marriages, that I am sick of the whole empty pageant. I cannot see that I am to blame because I happened to be the only son of a millionaire, nor do I feel bound to render myself miserable for life to please the whims of those who enjoin certain obligations upon the possessor of a little inflated position. As regards Elsie, I’d give a good deal to be able to lift her out of that drudgery, even if—yes, I’m so far gone as that—I never saw her again. Can’t you help me to help her, Lizzette?”
“Eet ees all ze grave meestake, Herbeart. Elsie ees so—so vot you call independent zat she no take von sou in charity. I can see no vay except you forget her and leave her to her own place. Eet ees often so mooch meestake to marry beneath von too.”
“That isn’t the question, at least not now. Such gifts as Elsie’s ought to be put to better use than the making of sauces and salads in Helen’s kitchen——”
“I take eet you vould not mind eef ze talent vas changed to Herbeart’s kitchen,” interrupted Lizzette. “Zat ees just like ze man; he want eferysing to himself.”
“You wouldn’t have found me quite so selfish if you had waited a moment. I only desire a chance for the best development of Elsie’s gifts. Now I needn’t appear in this matter, and a few thousand dollars, I’m sure, couldn’t be more worthily bestowed.”
“Non, non,” said Lizzette with a sober shake of her head. “Elsie guess in no time, and ze cake be all dough. Not von sou vill she take if she earn it not. I haf tried her and I know. Zare ees only zis to hope for, if so be you not forget her: leave her to her place—eet would be von bitter blow to her to lose it—and trust to ze change in time and circumstance. Eef some time I sall find zat ze tangle may be made straight and no hearts break, I vill tell my Herbeart.”