“Oh, yes I do. I sort of leaven the lump. Without me he’d be just a clever prig; he couldn’t help it. With me he is only better than most men; and his lofty ideas don’t get top-heavy, because I keep him in touch with commonplace humanity.”
“Why is he better than most men? What is the matter with the rest of us?”
“The rest of you don’t bother to have lofty ideas at all, much less struggle to live up to them.”
“You are a little sweeping. Do you like men to have lofty ideas, and be priggish?”
“They don’t necessarily go together. It’s only Dudley who thinks all the rest of the world ought to be good too.”
“And don’t you agree with him?”
“I look at things from a different standpoint. I admire him tremendously, and feel his superiority; but it is more natural to me to take things as I find them and make the best of them as they are.”
“You are evidently a very sensible young lady. You can find a warm spot in your heart even for a sinner, for instance!”
“I rather like them,” and she gave a low laugh.
“Of course you do, if you’re a true woman.”