"All the reason more why I should keep clean. Lawyers once constituted our aristocracy of brain and culture."
"But, Jim, you could prevent injustice by your will and ability!"
"Nonsense, Nan. It's the kind of work you have to do. The very nature of it excludes an ideal. Its only standard is gold—hard, ringing metallic gold! I can't prostitute my talents to a work I don't believe in. A man's work is a revelation of what he is. And what he is will depend at last on what he does."
A frown of impatience had steadily grown in the girl's face and the curves of her lips hardened with sudden determination.
"But you mean to be rich and powerful, Jim?"
"If it comes with the growth of manhood and character, yes. But I will not degrade myself with work I hate, or take orders from men I despise. The world is already full of such slaves. I mean to make one less, not one more of them."
"You know I don't wish you to be degraded," Nan broke in, earnestly. "I want you to be great."
"Then, don't forget, sweetheart, that it's the great man who can be content now with a fair share of money. It requires more stamina, more character, more manhood to live a sane, decent life in this town to-day than it does to become a millionaire."
"But I want you to be ambitious, Jim!" the girl exclaimed, passionately.
"I am ambitious—for big things—the biggest things. For that reason it will take more than a child's rattle to satisfy me, though it's made of gold. I must have the real thing—the thing inside. I hope to have the applause of the world, but the thing I must have is the approval of my better self—can't you understand, Nan?"