"ThebasisofStandardEggwasnotonlyamonopolyofallthehensintheUnitedStates，butamachinecalledaSeparator，fortellingtheageandstateofaneggbymeansofimmersioninwater。Perfectlygoodeggssankfastandpassedoutthroughonedistributor；fairlyniceeggsdidnotreachthebottom，andweredrawnoffthroughanothersluice，andsoon。
　　Thissavedthewagesoftheeggtwirlers，whosemethodofcandlingeggs，asitwascalled，wasfarlessrapidthantheSeparator。AndwhenI
　　learnedthatonehouseinSt。Louisalonetwirled50，000eggsinaday，thepossibleprofitsoftheEggTrustbecamecleartome。ButtheywerenotsocleartoEthel。Shesaidthatyoucouldnotmonopolisehens。Thattheywouldalwaysbelayingeggsandputtingitinthepowerofcompetitorstohatchthembyincubators。NordidshehaveconfidenceinthePasteurisedFeeder。'Evenifyougettheparentstoadoptit，'shesaid，'youcannotgetthechildren。IftheydonotlikethetasteofthemilkasitcomesoutofthebottlethroughtheFeeder，theywillsimplynottakeit。'"
　　"'Well，'Ianswered，'oldMrs。Beverlyisholdingontohers。'"
　　"WhenIsaidthis，Ethelsatwithhermouthtight。Thensheopeneditandsaid:'Ihatethatwoman。'"
　　"'Hateher？Why，youhaveneversomuchaslaideyesonher。'"
　　"'Thatisnotatallnecessary。Iconsideritindecentforagreyhairedwomanwithgrandchildrentobespeculatinginthestockmarketeveryweeklikearegularbullorbear。'"
　　"EverypointinthisoutburstofEthel'sseemedtomesounwarrantablethatIwasquitedazed。Isatlookingather，andhereyesfilledwithtears。'OhRichard！'sheexclaimed，'shewillruinyou，andIhateher！'"
　　"'MydearEthel，'Ireplied，'shewillnot。Andonlyseehowyouaremakingitallupoutofyourhead。Youhaveneverseenher，butyouspeakofherasagrey-hairedgrandmother。'"
　　"'Shemustbe，Richard。YouhavetoldmethatMr。Beverlyisamarriedmanandaboutforty-five。Nodoubthehasoldersistersandbrothers。Butifhehasnot，hismothercanhardlybelessthansixty-five，andhehasprobablybeenmarriedforseveralyears。Hemighteasilyhaveadaughtercomingout，nextwinter，andasonatHarvardorYale；andiftheirgrandmother'shairisnotgrey，thatisquiteasunnaturalasherspeculatinginmonopolisedeggsinthiswayatherage。Shemustbeaveryunladylikeperson。'"
　　"Ethel，Isaw，wasexcited。ThereforeImadenomorepointofhertheoriesconcerningtheappearanceandfamilycircleofoldMrs。Beverly。
　　ButinjusticetomyselfIfeltobligedtoremindher，first，thatIwasinvesting，notspeculating，andsecond，thatitwasMr。Beverly'sadviceIwasfollowing，andnotthatofhismother。'Hadhenotspokenofher，'
　　Isaid，'Ishouldhaveremainedunawareofherexistence。'"
　　"'Sheisatthebottomofitallthesame，'saidEthel。'Everythingyouhaveboughthasbeenbecausesheboughtit。'"
　　"'Thatisnotquitetherightwaytoputit，'Ireplied。'IwaswillingtobuythesesecuritiesbecauseMr。Beverlythoughtsohighlyofthemthathefeltjustifiedin'"
　　"'Thereisnouse，'interruptedEthel，'inourgoingroundthiscircleasifwewereapairofsquirrels。Idonotaskyoutohatethatwomanformysake，butIcannotchangemyownfeeling。Doyouremember，Richard，abouttheCityofPhilippiSewerBonds？Youdidnotwanttobuythematfirst。YoutoldmeyourselfthatyouthoughtnewtownsinTexaswereapttobuzzsuddenlyandthendiebecauseallthepeoplehurriedawaytosomenewertownandleftthehousesandstoresstandingempty。ButMr。
　　Beverly'smothergotsome，andallyourhesitationfled。AndnowIseethattheGulf，Galveston，andLittleRockisgoingtobuildabranchthatmaymakePhilippiaperfectlyevaporatedtown。Ifyousoldthesebondsto-day，howmuchwouldyoulose？'"
　　"IdidnotenjoytellingEthelhowmuch，butIhadto。'Onlyfifteenthousanddollars，'Isaid。"
　　"'Only！'saidEthel。'Well，Ihopehismotherwillloseagreatdealmorethanthat。'"
　　"ItisseldomthatEtheltapsherfoot，butshehadbeguntotapitnow；
　　andthisinclinedmetoavoidanyattemptatasoothingreply，inthehopethatsilencemightprovestillmoresoothing，andthatthuswemightgetawayfromoldMrs。Beverly。"
　　"'Shecannotpossiblybelessthansixty-five，'Ethelpresentlyannounced。'Andsheisfarmorelikelytobeseventy。'"
　　"IthoughtitbesttoagreetoanyagethatEthelchosetogivetheoldlady。"
　　"'Doyousuppose，'Ethelcontinued，'thatshedoesitbytelephone？'"
　　"'Mydearest，'Iresponded，'hemustdoitallforher，ofcourse，youknow。'"
　　"'Idoubtthatverymuch，Richard。Andshestrikesmeasbeingthesortofcharacterforwhomameretelephonewouldnotbeenoughexcitement。
　　Thenervesofthosepeoplerequiremoreandmorestimulantstogivethemanysensationatall。Ibelievethatshesitsinhisprivateofficeandwatchestheticker。'"
　　"'Whynotgiveheratickerinherbedroomwhileyouareaboutit，Ethel？'Isuggested。"
　　"ButEthelcouldnotsmile。'Ithinkthatisperfectlyprobable，'sheanswered。Andthen，'Oh，Richard，isn'titmean！'AtthisItookherhand，andshebutagainIabstainfromdwellinguponthosecircumstancesoftheengagedwhicharefamiliartoyouall。"
　　"ThechangeofMayintoJune，andthechangeofJuneintoJuly，didnotmellowEthel'sbitterfeelings。IrememberthedayafterPetuniasdefaultedontheirinterestthatsheexclaimed，'IhopeIshallnevermeether！'WealwayscalledMr。Beverly'smother'she'now。'ForifI
　　weretomeether，'continuedEthel，'IfeelIshouldsaysomethingthatI
　　shouldregret。Oh，Richard，IsupposeweshallhavetogiveupthathouseonParkAvenue！'"
　　"Iputacheerfulandeveninsularfaceonthematter，forIcouldnotbeartoseeEthelsodepressed。Butitwashardworkforme。Somefewofmyinvestmentswereevidentlygood；butitalwaysseemedasifitwasintothesethatIhadhappenedtoputnotmuchmoney，whilethebulkofmyfortunewasentangledintheothers。BesidestheusualMidsummerfaintnessthatovertakesthestockmarket，myownspecialtieswereagooddealmorethanfaint。Onthe20thofAugustItooktheafternoontraintospendmytwoweeks'holidayatLenox；andduringmuchofthejourneyI
　　gazedattheWallStreeteditionoftheafternoonpaperthatIhadpurchasedasIcamethroughtheGrandCentralStation。EthelandIreaditintheevening。"
　　"'Iwonderwhatshe'sbuyingnow？'saidEthel，vindictively。"
　　"'Well，Ican'thelpfeelingsorryforher，'Ianswered，withasmuchofasmileasIcouldproduce。"
　　"'Thatissounnecessary，Richard！Shecaneasilyaffordtogratifyhergamblinginstinct。'"
　　"'Thereyougo，Ethel，inventingmillionsforherjustasyouinventedgrandchildren。'"
　　"'Notatall。Unlesssheconstantlyhadmoneylyingidle，shecouldnottakethesecontinualplunges。Sheisanoldwomanwithfewexpenses，andsheliveswellwithinherincome。Youwouldhearofherentertainingifitwasotherwise。Soinsteadofconservativelyinvestinghersurplus，shemakesducksanddrakesofitinherson'soffice。IsheatHydeParknow？'HydeParkwaswheretheoldBeverlycountryseathadalwaysbeen。"