"I hear you are on the _America_ committee, Mr. Irons," she said. "We
ladies are so much interested in that just now. I called on Mrs.
Bodewin Ranger yesterday, and she is really enthusiastic over this
young Stanton that's going to make it. He is going to make it, isn't
he?"
Irons laughed his vulgar laugh, which Fenton once said was the laugh of
a swineherd counting his pigs.
"It has not been decided," he answered. "Stanton seems to have a good
many friends."
"Oh, he has, indeed," responded Miss Penwick eagerly. "He is a young
man of extraordinary genius. I saw a beautiful notice of him in the
_Daily Observer_ the other morning, Mr. Rangely," she continued,
turning to Fred, "and Mrs. Frostwinch said she thought you wrote it. It
was very appreciative."
"Yes, I wrote it," he responded, not very warmly. "Mr. Stanton is
endorsed by Mr. Calvin, you know, Mr. Irons; and Mr. Calvin is our
highest authority, I suppose."
Of those present no one except the hostess was surprised at this
admission, which marked the great change in Rangely's position since
the days when, like Arthur Fenton, he was a pronounced Pagan and
denounced Peter Calvin as the incarnation of Philistinism in art. On
one occasion Rangely had boldly reproached his friend with having gone
over to the camp of the Philistines; and he had been met with the
retort,--
"We have found it pleasant in the camp of Philistia, have we not?"
"We?" Rangely had echoed, with an accent of indignation.
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