“How lovely!” exclaimed Roberta. “Then she could say all the things you want to but don’t dare, and believe all the things that you want to, only you are afraid people will think you’re crazy.”
“I’m afraid that if Madeline’s second self would be a drudge, yours would be a freak, Roberta,” said Mary.
“Oh, no,” answered Roberta, “she would just be delightfully clever and original.”
“Well,” said Betty, who, not being at all imaginative, had listened to the discussion in wondering silence, “for my part I’m sure one self is as much as I want to manage. Think of planning a Saturday afternoon for two people, or making out two schedules of studies!”
“I’ve thought of all that,” said Madeline, passing her plate for more dessert, “but I should have my second self vanish when she wasn’t needed, or when things were getting too complicated.”
“Evidently second selves are going to be Madeline’s next fad,” said Mary with a sigh of tolerance. “Prepare to see her catching grasshoppers with a ghostly double beside her.” She turned to Madeline. “You do get the funniest notions. What put this idea into your head?”
“Oh, it just blew in,” said Madeline lazily. “Then it sprouted, and now I’m very curious to see how tall it will grow.” With which lucid explanation she sauntered off to the library.
She was really getting very much interested in Georgia Ames, but, as she was also very much interested in a number of other things, and as Georgia obviously would keep until she was wanted, Madeline was in no haste to push her forward.
That day’s recitation in English Essayists had been the last of the week, and it was the third recitation of the following week before the class had any more written work. Madeline finished hers with her usual promptness, and then, having nothing else to do, wrote a paper for Georgia Ames, not because she had anything particular to say, but on the principle that Georgia, being on the professor’s roll, would better be doing her work.