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The Descent of Man and Other Stories by Edith Wharton
page 74 of 289 (25%)

"Why, yes--I remember there was a splendid review of it in the
'Reredos'!" cried Mrs. Fetherel, moved by the incipient instinct of
reciprocity.

"Yes--by my dear friend Mrs. Gollinger, whose husband, the late Dean
Gollinger, was under very particular obligations to me. Mrs.
Gollinger is a woman of rare literary acumen, and her praise of my
book was unqualified; but the public wants more highly seasoned
fare, and the approval of a thoughtful churchwoman carries less
weight than the sensational comments of an illiterate journalist."
The Bishop lent a meditative eye on his spotless gaiters. "At the
risk of horrifying you, my dear," he added, with a slight laugh, "I
will confide to you that my best chance of a popular success would
be to have my book denounced by the press."

"Denounced?" gasped Mrs. Fetherel. "On what ground?"

"On the ground of immorality." The Bishop evaded her startled gaze.
"Such a thing is inconceivable to you, of course; but I am only
repeating what my publisher tells me. If, for instance, a critic
could be induced--I mean, if a critic were to be found, who called
in question the morality of my heroine in sacrificing her own health
and that of her idiot sisters in order to put up a memorial window
to her grandfather, it would probably raise a general controversy in
the newspapers, and I might count on a sale of ten or fifteen
thousand within the next year. If he described her as morbid or
decadent, it might even run to twenty thousand; but that is more than
I permit myself to hope. In fact, I should be satisfied with any
general charge of immorality." The Bishop sighed again. "I need
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