Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/205

Rh bar, since it was likely to abash those who were too intelligent to be propitiated by it.

“Certainly it is involved in hers,” Amherst agreed; “but how far that deﬁnes it is just what I have waited till now to ﬁnd out.”

Bessy at this point recalled her presence by a restless turn of her graceful person, and her father, with an affectionate glance at her, interposed amicably: “But surely—according to old-fashioned ideas—it implies identity of interests?”

“Yes; but whose interests?” Amherst asked.

“Why—your wife’s, man! She owns the mills.”

Amherst hesitated. “I would rather talk of my wife’s interest in the mills than of her interests there; but we’ll keep to the plural if you prefer it. Personally, I believe the terms should be interchangeable in the conduct of such a business.”

“Ah—I’m glad to hear that,” said Mr. Tredegar quickly, “since it’s precisely the view we all take.”

Amherst’s colour rose. “Deﬁnitions are ambiguous,” he said. “Before you adopt mine, perhaps I had better develop it a little farther. What I mean is, that Bessy’s interests in Westmore should be regulated by her interest in it—in its welfare as a social body, aside from its success as a commercial enterprise. If we agree on this deﬁnition, we are at one as to the other: namely that my relation to the matter is deﬁned by hers.” [ 189 ]