Her anger at
him, the manner in which he had refused her offered and long-dreamed-
of partnership, would not permit her pride and self-confidence to
consider any justification for him to enter her mind and argue in his
behalf. The great dream she had nourished had been destroyed. And,
moreover, he had proclaimed himself a fool.
Yes, despite him and all he could do, she was going to go the
brilliant, exciting way she had planned!
In fairness to Maggie it must be remembered that despite her assumed
maturity and self-confident wisdom, she really was only eighteen, and
perhaps did not yet fully know herself, and had all the world yet to
learn. And it must be remembered that she believed herself entirely in
the right. This was a world where strength and cunning were the
qualities that counted, and every one was trying to outwit his
neighbor; and all who acted otherwise were either weak-witted fools or
else pretenders who saw in their hypocrisy the keenest game of all.
Living under the influence of Old Jimmie, and later of Barney, and of
the environment in which she had been bred, these beliefs had come to
be her religion. She was thoroughly orthodox, and had the defensive
and aggressive fervor which is the temper of militant orthodoxy.
And so more keenly than ever, because she was more determined than
ever, Maggie studied the groups of well-dressed men and women who ate
and danced at the Ritzmore, among whom she circulated in her short,
smart skirt with her cigarette tray swung from her neck by a broad
purple ribbon.
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