"
"Precisely. You were taken in." She meant in her heart that they had
both been taken in. "This is not a case of commercial give and take--of
purchase and sale of stocks or merchandise. The eternal verities are
concerned. You owe it to your country to break your word. The triumph of
American principles is paramount to your obligation to Elton. Whom will
this gas bill benefit but the promoters? Your view, James, is the
old-fashioned view. Just as I said to you the other day that Dr. Page is
old-fashioned in his views of medicine, so it seems to me, if you will
forgive my saying so, you are, in this instance, behind the times. And
you are not usually behind the times. It has been one of the joyous
features of my marriage with you that you have not lacked American
initiative and independence of conventions. I wish you had confided in
me. You were forced to give that promise by your financial distress.
Will you let an old-fashioned theory of private honor make you a traitor
to our party cause and to the sovereign people of our country?"
Lyons bowed his head between his hands. "You make me see that there are
two sides to the question, Selma. It is true that I was not myself when
Elton got my promise to sign the bill.
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