“And a very munificent gift, considering the low social grade and primitive habits and general unworthiness of those who usually receive it.” Stupid that he was, or stupefied, he did not come within a thousand miles of piercing the thin veil of her sarcasm.
“Very true,” he replied. “But we recognize the fact that there have been peculiar hardships surrounding your case, and we desire to treat—you with still greater munificence.”
“How extremely kind and considerate to an unfortunate victim of—circumstances.”
“Yes; it is our purpose to be kind and considerate. Therefore we have decided—and as vice-president of the company I recommended the action—we have decided to make you a gift of four hundred dollars.”
She lifted her hands as if in delighted astonishment.
“How extraordinary!” she exclaimed. “You overwhelm me by your liberality. Are you quite sure it won’t interfere with paying dividends, or salaries, or anything like that?”
“Not—not at all, Mrs. Bradley.” But he looked, for the first time during the interview, a bit uncertain, as if he had a dim sense of something, somewhere, not being exactly right.
During all this time the rector had sat without opening his lips. There had been no occasion for him to speak. With ever-growing astonishment he had watched Barry paving his own path to sure disaster. With ever-growing apprehension he had watched the rising tide of indignation in the woman’s breast. Could it be possible that the fellow sitting there was so dim of vision, so witless in intellect, that he could not see the gathering thunder-clouds in her face, the gleam of lightning in her half-veiled eyes; could not realize that a storm, the fury of which would be terrible beyond belief, was about to break on his unprotected head? But the rector of Christ Church knew what was coming, if Barry did not, and he knew that the moment for the cataclysm had about arrived. He moved uneasily in his chair, and his movement attracted the widow’s attention. She turned her eyes on him.
“We are keeping you,” she said, “without cause. You need not wait any longer. I know what the situation is, and I can handle it without help. Thank you for staying as long as you have.”