“Adela Anthon.”
She had no sooner posted this note than she was impatient to receive a reply. Would he possibly refuse? She was amazed to find herself hoping that he would. If he accepted—and she had sent the note in all sincerity—there would be a bar to any other relation. This scruple was conventional, irrational, but she felt that she could not rise above it.
The next two days were full of preparations, and when on the day of departure, just as they were about to drive to the station, the reply came, she waited until they were settled in their coupé to read it at leisure. It was above reproach, self-respecting and yet cordial. He did not make too much of her gift, nor did he belittle the kindness. He placed the whole matter in a simple, objective light, as she had wished. The gift was not to him, but to be used by him. The note closed with a paragraph on a new book he was sending her.
She had read the note at one breath; then leaning back with a sigh, she passed it out of the window to her uncle, who had come to see them off.
“We have changed places, uncle,” she whispered, slyly. “When you are in America you can’t be bothered with all this.”
Sebastian Anthon’s face expressed astonishment and in a moment merriment. The joke in the situation evidently made the deeper impression, but as the engine snorted, he whispered back, “Take care, you are exploding pretty fast!”
She watched him walk up the platform, laughing unrestrainedly, probably in appreciation of Mrs. Anthon’s remarks when she discovered the event. Miss Anthon allowed her mother to get comfortably settled. Then, anxious to have the matter out of her mind, she said quietly, “Mother, I have offered Mr. Erard four hundred pounds a year to continue his work with, and he has accepted it.”
If she had said that she had offered herself, Mrs. Anthon might have been less surprised.
“This comes of John’s queer will,” she moaned at last. “You are going to support that fellow? It’s disgraceful. You had better marry him, that wouldn’t be any worse.”
“Perhaps he wouldn’t marry me. At any rate there will be no chance of that now,” she explained soothingly. “Please don’t let us make ourselves uncomfortable over it. If I happen to have a large income, why shouldn’t I give it away as I like? You wouldn’t have said anything if I had given it here and there to washerwomen or hospitals.”