“She is certainly unconventional,” said Mr. Armour.
“I wish I were like that,” said Vivienne. “I wish that I had it in me to live for others.”
“You have a different mission in life,” he said. “You are cut out for a leader in society rather than a religious or philanthropic enthusiast. By the way, Macartney wants your marriage to take place as soon as possible. Of course you concur in his opinion.”
“Yes,” said Vivienne absently, “I will agree to anything that he arranges. As I told you the other day,” she went on with some embarrassment, “I think it is advisable for me to leave here as soon as possible. However, I spoke too abruptly to you. I have been wishing for an opportunity to tell you so.”
“Have you?” he said, twisting the corners of his moustache and trying not to smile at the lofty manner in which she delivered her apology. “It really did not matter.”
“No, I dare say not,” she replied with a quick glance at him; “but I was not polite.”
“I mean it did not matter about me,” he said. “A business man must get used to knocks of various kinds.”
How conceited he was, how proud of his business ability! Vivienne shrugged her shoulders and said nothing.
“About this engagement of yours,” he went on; “if you please we will allow its length to remain undetermined for a time. I may as well confess that I brought you here for a purpose. What that purpose is I do not care to tell, and I beg that you will not speculate about it. Do you think that you can make up your mind to remain under my roof for a few weeks longer?”
“I wounded his self-love so deeply that he will never recover from it,” said the girl to herself. Then she went on aloud in a constrained voice. “It is scarcely necessary for you to ask me that question. To stay here for as long a time as you choose is a small favor for me to grant when you have been kind enough to take care of me for so many years.”