Captain Lote's eye twinkled. “We-ll, you came all the way from New York on purpose, you know,” he observed. Then he added: “But there, Mr. Fosdick, I don't want you to think I ain't polite or won't talk, myself. I'll do my share when the time comes. But it does seem to me that you ought to do yours first as it's your family so far that's done the objectin'. . . . Your cigar's gone out. Have another light, won't you?”
The visitor shook his head. “No, thank you, not now,” he said hastily, placing the defunct cigar carefully on the captain's desk. “I won't smoke for the minute. So you want me to begin the talking, do you? It seems to me I have begun it. I told you that I do not like the idea of my daughter's being engaged to—to say nothing of marrying—your grandson. My wife likes it even less than I do. That is enough of a statement to begin with, isn't it?”
“Why, no, not exactly, if you'll excuse my sayin' so. Your daughter herself—how does she feel about it?”
“Oh, she is enthusiastic, naturally. She appears to be suffering from temporary insanity on the subject.”
“She don't seem to think it's quite as—er—preposterous, and ridiculous and outrageous—and Lord knows what all—as your wife does, eh?”
“No. I say, Snow, I hope you're not too deeply offended by what my wife wrote you. I judge you are quoting from her letter and apparently she piled it on red-hot. You'll have to excuse her; she was almost wild all day yesterday. I'll ask your pardon on her behalf.”
“Sho, sho! No need, Mr. Fosdick, no need at all. I know what women are, even the easy-goin' kind, when they've got steam up. I've got a wife—and I had a daughter. But, gettin' back on the course again, you think your daughter's crazy because she wants to marry my grandson. Is that it?”
“Why, no, I wouldn't say that, exactly. Of course, I wouldn't say that.”
“But, you see, you did say it. However, we'll leave that to one side for a spell. What objection—what real objection is there to those two marryin'—my grandson and your daughter—provided that they care for each other as they'd ought to?”
Mr. Fosdick's expression changed slightly. His tone, as he replied to the question, was colder and his manner less cordial.