Herron, who was eating furiously because he had just overheard Langdon say: "That was a great day for pirates when they thought of taking aboard the lawyers as chaplains."All the men were in high spirits; Dumont was boyish in his exuberance.When he left home that morning he was four times a millionaire; now he was at least twelve times a millionaire, through the magic of the "merger." True, eight of the twelve millions were on paper; but it was paper that would certainly pay dividends, paper that would presently sell at or near its face value.And this success had come when he was only thirty-four.
His mind was already projecting greater triumphs in this modern necromancy by which millionaires evoke and materialize millions from the empty air--apparently.He was bubbling over with happiness--in the victory won, in victories to be won.
Olivia tried him on several subjects, but the conversation dragged.Of Pauline he would not talk; of Europe, he was interested only in the comfort of hotels and railway trains, in the comparative merits of the cooking and the wines in London and Paris.But his face--alert, shrewd, aggressive--and his mode of expression made her feel that he was uninteresting because he was thinking of something which he did not care to expose to her and could not take his mind from.And this was the truth.It was not until she adventured upon his business that he became talkative.And soon she had him telling her about his "combine"--frankly, boastfully, his face more and more flushed, for as he talked he drank.
"But," he said presently, "this little matter to-day is only a fair beginning.It seemed big until it was about accomplished.
Then I saw it was only a suggestion for a scheme that'd be really worth, while." And he went on to unfold one of those projects of to-day's commerce and finance that were regarded as fantastic, delirious a few years ago.He would reach out and out for hundreds of millions of capital; with his woolens "combine" as a basis he would build an enormous corporation to control the sheep industry of the world--to buy millions of acres of sheep-ranges; to raise scores of millions of sheep; to acquire and to construct hundreds of plants for utilizing every part of the raw product of the ranges; to sell wherever the human race had or could have a market.
Olivia was ambitious herself, usually was delighted by ambition in others.But his exhibit of imagination and energy repelled her, even while it fascinated.Partly through youth, more through that contempt for concealment which characterizes the courageous type of large man, he showed himself to her just as he was.And she saw him not as an ambition but as an appetite, or rather a bundle of appetites.
"He has no ideals," she thought."He's like a man who wants food merely for itself, not for the strength and the intellect it will build up.And he likes or dislikes human beings only as one likes or dislikes different things to eat.""It'll take you years and years," she said to him, because she must say something.
"Not at all." He waved his hand--Olivia thought it looked as much like a claw as like a hand."It's a sky-scraper, but we build sky-scrapers overnight.Time and space used to be the big elements.WE practically disregard them." He followed this with a self-satisfied laugh and an emptying of his champagne glass at a gulp.
The women were rising to withdraw.After half an hour Langdon and Herron joined them.Dumont and Fanshaw did not come until eleven o'clock.Then Dumont was so abrupt and surly that every one was grateful to Mrs.Fanshaw for taking him away to the west veranda.At midnight all went to their rooms, Pauline going with Olivia, "to make sure you haven't been neglected."She lingered until after one, and when they kissed each the other good night, she said: "It's done me a world of good to see you, 'Livia--more even than I hoped.I knew you'd be sympathetic with me where you understood.Now, I feel that you're sympathetic where you don't understand, too.And it's there that one really needs sympathy.""That's what friendship means--and--love," said Olivia.
