She paused one instant,
contemplating this picture. The look of triumph on her face
toned down considerably. Then she comforted herself aloud.
"I've heard Mother say," she said softly, "that everybody overdid
things and did not know how to be graceful with immense fortunes
got from silver and gold mines, and lumber. It will be different
now. Probably they don't live in the same house, even. There is
a small army of servants, and there is nothing I can think of
that Uncle Jim won't gladly get me. I've been too big a fool for
words to live this way as long as I have. Crush me, will they?
I'll show them! I won't even touch these things I have strained
so to get."
Eileen jerked from her throat the strand of pearls that she had
worn continuously for four years and threw it contemptuously on
her dressing table.
"I'll make Uncle Jim get me a rope with two or three strands in
it that will reach to my waist. 'A suitcase !' I don't know what
I would fill a suitcase with from here. The trunk may stay in
the garret, and while I am leaving all this rubbish, I'll just
leave John Gilman with it. Uncle Jim will give me an income that
will buy all the cigarettes I want without having to deceive
anyone; and I can have money if I want to stake something at
bridge without being scared into paralysis for fear somebody may
find it out or the accounts won't balance. I'll put on the most
suitable thing I have to travel in, and just walk out and leave
everything else.
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