Therefore her thoughts and arguments were
myopic, almost necessarily specious. She wanted to see justice done,
of course. But most of all she wanted what was best for Larry. If she
told the truth, it might result in some kind of temporary breakdown in
Maggie's attitude which would bring her and Larry together. That would
be disastrous. If not disastrous at once, certainly in the end. Maggie
was a victim, and undoubtedly deserved sympathy. But others should not
be sacrificed merely because Maggie had suffered an injury. She had
been too long under the tutelage of Old Jimmie, and his teachings were
now too thoroughly the fiber of her very being, for her to alter
permanently. She might change temporarily under the urge of an
emotional revelation; but she would surely revert to her present self.
There was no doubt of that.
And the Duchess gave weight to other considerations--all human, yet
all in some measure specious. Joe Ellison was happy in his dream, and
would be happy in it all the rest of his life. Why tell the truth and
destroy his precious illusion?--especially when there was no chance to
change Maggie?
And further, she recalled the terrific temper that had lived within
the composed demeanor of Joe Ellison. The fires of that temper could
not yet be all burned out.
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