He would make Grace Goodchild marry him. He was sure he would succeed. He saw very clearly, indeed, how Mr. Goodchild, being a conservative banker, could be compelled to say yes.
In addition he would make Grace love him.
The strongest love is that love which is stronger than hatred or fear. Therefore the love that begins by hating or fearing is best. To overcome the inertia of non-loving is not so difficult as to stop the backward motion and turn it into forward.
DEAR GRACE, I am sending you herewith a few clippings. Remember what I told you. Don't let father prejudice you. Hope to see you soon. Busy as the dickens.
_P.S._--I love you because you are _You!_ Certainly I am crazy. But, dear, _I know it_!
With the note he sent her eighty-three inches of clippings and fourteen pictures. If that wasn't fame, what was? He also sent flowers.
That afternoon before the _thé dansant_ hour he called at the Goodchild residence.
"Miss Goodchild!" he said to the man, instead of asking for her. He pulled out his watch, looked at it, and before the man could say he would see if she were at home to H. R., added, "Yes!"
He was punctual, as the man could see. The man therefore held out a silver card-tray.
"Say it's Mr. Rutgers," H. R. told him. "And straighten out that rug. You've walked over it a dozen times!"
It was plain to see that it was H. R. who really owned this house. He must, since he wasn't afraid of the servants. And the worst of it was that the footman could not resent it: the gentleman was so obviously accustomed to regarding servants as domestic furniture. He dehumanized footmen, deprived them of souls, left them merely arms and legs to obey, machine-like. They call such "well-ordered households." Certainly not. It isn't a matter of the orders, but of the soul-excision.
Grace Goodchild walked in--behind her mother. The footman stood by the door, evidently by request.
Everything in civilized communities is by request.
"How do you do?" said H. R., pleasantly. "Is this mother?" He bowed to Mrs. Goodchild--the bow of a social equal--his eyes full of a highly intelligent appreciation of physical charm. Then he asked Grace, "Did you read them?"
Mrs. Goodchild had intended to be stern, but the young man's undisguised admiration softened her wrath to pleasant sarcasm.