expensive than anything to which he had been accustomed. I encouraged
him when he built this house. I wanted to impress you; I wanted you to
see that the American could give you a more splendid home than any
European you were likely to marry, however exalted his rank. I was not
without fears that George was spending too much money; but we've always
had plenty for whatever we wanted to do; and so I let him go on when I
should have stopped him. It was my vanity. It wasn't his fault. He
inherited a large fortune; and if I had only brought him up wisely, it
would have been enough."

"And wasn't it enough?"

In spite of her growing dread, Diane brought out the question firmly.
Mrs. Eveleth sat one long minute motionless, with hands clasped, with
lips parted, and with suspended breath.

"No."

The monosyllable seemed to fill the room. It echoed and re-echoed in
Diane's ears like the boom of a cannon. While her outward vision took in
such details as the despair in Mrs. Eveleth's face, the folds of crape
on her gown, the Watteau picture on the panel of moss-green and gold
that formed the background, all the realities of life seemed to be
dissolving into chaos, as the glories of the sunset sink into a black
and formless mass. When Mrs. Eveleth spoke again, her voice sounded as
though it came from far away.

"I want to take all the blame upon myself. If it hadn't been for me,
George would never have gone to such extremes."