She sprang to her feet and turned away her head.
"Why don't you come and live with us?" she asked abruptly. "Why should you keep this on? There are so many vacant bedrooms up there. You could have one for your study. I'd love to have you. You'd have the most complete independence. Do."
Gora shook her head. "I've always this to fall back on."
"Fall back on?"
"Oh! I never meant to let that out. However…. Perhaps it is as well…. Morty—you know his pride—everybody has his prime weakness and that is his. Transpose it into snobbery if you like…. We did not board down here. I kept a lodging house for business women. It paid well, but Morty, when he became engaged to you, insisted that I give it up. He was afraid you'd be outraged in your finest sensibilities! Well, I did. One of my lodgers resigned from her job and took it over. I entered the hospital, but kept on my room as I had to have one somewhere. Eight months later she married, and I took it back. I found I could run it as well as ever with the aid of a treasure of a Chinaman she had discovered. But I never told Morty."
Alexina laughed. "Better not. But you could run it and live with us all the same."
"No. I have too little time. I'd waste it coming back and forth, for I must be here some time every day…. Besides…"
"Your own precious atmosphere?"
"You do understand!"
"Well, come to see me often. I shall need your advice."