"
"No doubt she was," said Stephen. "But----"
"I suppose you're thinking that I must have made lots of money, and that
I'm a sort of little miseress: and so I have--and so I am. I earned
seven hundred and fifty dollars a week--isn't that a hundred and fifty
pounds?--for the six weeks, and I spent as little as possible; for I
didn't get as large a salary as that in America. I engaged to dance for
three hundred dollars a week there, which seemed perfectly wonderful to
me at first; so I had to keep my contract, though other managers would
have given me more. I wanted dreadfully to take their offers, because I
was in such a hurry to have enough money to begin my real work. But I
knew I shouldn't be blessed in my undertaking if I acted dishonourably.
Try as I might, I've only been able to save up ten thousand dollars,
counting the salary in Paris and all. Would you say that was enough to
_bribe_ a person, if necessary? Two thousand of your pounds."
"It depends upon how rich the person is."
"I don't know how rich he is. Could an Arab be _very_ rich?"
"I daresay there are still some rich ones. But maybe riches aren't the
same with them as with us. That fellow at lunch to-day looks as if he'd
plenty of money to spend on embroideries."
"Yes. And he looks important too--as if he might have travelled, and
known a great many people of all sorts. I wish it were proper for me to
talk to him."
"Good Heavens, why?" asked Stephen, startled.
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