The spectator., 1921-07-19
PART l.
Moral EmblemA.

 Robert Hervey Randolph-six feet straight up and down, broad of shoul- der and narrow of hip, sandy-haired, blue-eyed. nose slightly up-ended and wearing saddle of faint freckleS. clean shaven, well groomed. very cor rectly dressed. and twenty-six years old. Let it be added that his eyes were placed just far enough apart to stamp him forever honest; he had an open and most prepossessing coun- tenance
 At the moment of the start of this rapid yarn, he was standing in the Van Telliers' library, looking down in pained and flushed surprise at Miss Madge Van T., who was sitting in huge leathern chair half facing the fire in the open grate, one leg very much under her, the other waving a satin-and-silk combination Of foot and ankle in distracting accompaniment to her disturbing speech
 Bobby" said Miss Van T., you are darned good-looking; you're strong, straight, and a gentleman: there are times when you are wholly adorable but, nevertheless. I'm not going to the show with you tonight, or to the opera tomorrow. or anywhere any more. There. there. dear boy; you don't have to say anything You have one of those faces that is absolutely beyond the aid of vocal organ. It says everything that is in your heart of gold before your brain has time to tinkle hell"
 Look here. Madge," said the pained Mir. Randolph are You making fun of my face or of my brain or of both?"
 My dear" said Miss Van T. quite gravely. "Tm not making fun of ,ou In any way whatso, or. I'm merely tell ing you how lovahle II are, so that you will understand how serious 1t is when I say that I've decided not to love you any more"
 "B-hut how can you help it?" stam- mered Mir, Randolph. his tongue for once saying the same thing as his face at the same time.
 
 though rising against it's mistress to the defense of this disingenuous young man, and she was obliged to swerve her eyes from his and draw long breath before she answered.
 "f can. because I will" she said. her face paling "Oh, Bobby, can't you wake up? Look round you and come to earth You are born and bred on yet you've never seen New York"
 "l guess you're right" said Bobby Look here. Madge: why should I try to see New York, and why should we he talking ash-cans when I've got you 10 look at in one of the most bewitching and abbreviated | bits of dress goods that ever revealed | a completely adorable person? Tell | me that"
 Well" said Madge her face hard. 'ning, "l will. It's long story. not in | words but in generations. The Van | relliers have lived in East Ninth | street since the year one of the island | That Is, they used 10 live here; now hey hardly exist They are merely an assorted lot of animated corpses that .rawl out of their tomb periodically to ake strange air, leaning on a rotten 'tave called the old Order Listen to his. Bobby: The hew New York is a ever. and I've caught 1t. I want a 'ainy-day car, a calling-car, and a ourinC car. | want draSSac that x,,iII tab with envy the heart of every coman that looks at them: want my ewels to run to size and quality, and want yacht just for the papers to ak about, because I hate to ride in he smelly things"
 Bobby's eyes had grown rounder md wider as the list progressed Do you think you could get along 'n hundred thousand a year?" he lsked very softly.
 "I don't know" she said slowly. I've been going into the subject ather thoroughly. and hundred thou and would be running it on a pretty lose margin. By the way, just what 5 your allowance under that crazy villr"
 ''Ten thousand" said Bobby. We'll" said Miss Van T., there you re Just enough to keep ysu com