She saw Essex, whose eyes were on the fire, raise his brows by way of a polite commentary on her words.
“That sounds a very plausible solution of the problem,” he said. “Love’s a deadly enemy to common sense.”
“That’s the way it seemed to me. She had fallen in love, and evidently the man had not enough money to marry on, or was in a poor position, or something. When I thought of that I was certain I’d found the clue. The silly girl was going to give up everything for love. I suppose I ought to have felt touched. But I really felt sort of mad with her at first. Afterward, thinking it over, I decided it was not so foolish, and now I’ve veered round so far that I’m inclined to encourage it.”
“On general principles you think domesticity is better for a woman than the glare of the footlights?”
“No, not that way. I think a gift like Mariposa Moreau’s should be cultivated and given to the public. I never had any sympathy with that man in the Bible who buried his talent in the ground. I think talents were made to be used. What I thought, was, why shouldn’t Mariposa marry the man she cared for and go with him to Paris. It would be a much better arrangement all round. She isn’t very smart or capable, and she’s young and childish for her years. Don’t you think she is, Mr. Essex?”
Essex again raised his eyebrows and looked into the fire.
“Yes,” he said in a dubious tone. “Yes, I suppose she is. She is certainly not a sophisticated or worldly person.”
“That’s just it. She’s green—green about everything. Some way or other I didn’t like the thought of sending her off there by herself, where she didn’t know a soul. And then she’s so handsome. If she was ugly it wouldn’t matter so much. But she’s very good-looking, and when you add that to her being so inexperienced and green about everything you begin to realize the responsibility of sending her alone to a strange country, especially Paris.”
“Paris is not a city,” commented her companion, “where young, beautiful and unprotected females are objects of public protection and solicitude.”
“That’s the reason why I want, now, to encourage this marriage. With a husband that she loves to take care of her, everything would be smooth sailing. She’d be happy and not homesick or strange. He’d be there with her, to watch over her and probably help her with her studies. Perhaps he could get some position, just to occupy his time. Because, so far as money went, I’d see to it that they were well provided for during the time she was preparing. Lepine said that he thought two or three years would be sufficient for her to study. Well, I’d give them fifteen thousand dollars to start on. And if that wasn’t enough, or she was not ready to appear at the expected time, there would be more. There’d be no question about means of living, anyway. They could just put that out of their heads.”