He spoke of the duty he owed to his two children
respectively, and in sufficient detail of Arnold Jacks'
circumstances. On the death of John Jacks (which the Doctor
suspected was not remote) Arnold would be something more than a
well-to-do man; his wife, if she aimed that way, might look for a
social position such as the world envied.
"And on the whole," he added, "as society must have leaders, I
prefer that they should he people with brains as well as money. The
ambition is quite legitimate. Do your part in civilising the
drawing-room, as Arnold conceives he is doing his on a larger scale.
A good and intelligent woman is no superfluity in the world of
wealth nowadays."
Irene tried to believe that this ambition appealed to her. Nay, at
times it certainly did so, for she liked the brilliant and the
commanding. On the other hand, it seemed imperfect as an ideal of
life. In its undercurrents her thought was always more or less
turbid.
A letter from Arnold announced his coming. A day after, he arrived.
Many times as she had enacted in fancy the scene of their meeting,
Irene found in the reality something quite unlike her anticipation.
Arnold, it was true, behaved much as she expected; he was perfect in
well-bred homage; he said the right things in the right tone; his
face declared a sincere emotion, yet he restrained himself within
due limits of respect. The result in Irene's mind was disappointment
and fear.
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