He
recalled too the soft firmness of her profile and the delicate line of
her lifted chin. He felt that this time at any rate he was not being
deceived by the outward shows of a charming human being. This young
woman had real firmness of character to back up her free and independent
judgments. He smiled at the idea of any facile passion in the
composition of so sure and gallant a personality. Martineau was very
fine-minded in many respects, but he was an old maid; and like all old
maids he saw man and woman in every encounter. But passion was a thing
men and women fell back upon when they had nothing else in common. When
they thought in the pleasantest harmony and every remark seemed to weave
a fresh thread of common interest, then it wasn't so necessary. It might
happen, but it wasn't so necessary.... If it did it would be a secondary
thing to companionship. That's what she was,--a companion.
But a very lovely and wonderful companion, the companion one would not
relinquish until the very last moment one could keep with her.
Her views about America and about her own place in the world seemed
equally fresh and original to Sir Richmond.
"I realize I've got to be a responsible American citizen," she had said.
That didn't mean that she attached very much importance to her recently
acquired vote.
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