Титан

F. A. Cowperwood, Guardian

           AmoresafelycalculatingandyetwilfulgirlthanBereniceFlemingwouldhavebeenhardtofind.Bysometrickofmentaladjustmentshehadgainedaclearprevisionofhownecessaryitwastoselecttherightsocially,andtoconcealhertruemotivesandfeelings;andyetshewasbynomeansasnob,mentally,norutterlycalculating.Certainthingsinherownandinhermother’slifetroubledher—quarrelsinherearlydays,fromherseventhtohereleventhyear,betweenhermotherandherstepfather,Mr.Carter;thelatter’sdrunkennessvergingupondeliriumtremensattimes;movingsfromoneplacetoanother—allsortsofsordidanddepressinghappenings.Berenicehadbeenanimpressionablechild.Somethingshadgrippedhermemorymightily—once,forinstance,whenshehadseenherstepfather,inthepresenceofhergoverness,kickatableover,and,seizingthetopplinglampwithdemoniacskill,hurlitthroughawindow.She,herself,hadbeentossedbyhiminoneofthesetantrums,when,inanswertothecriesofterrorofthoseabouther,hehadshouted:"Letherfall!Itwon’thurtthelittledeviltobreakafewbones."Thiswasherkeenestmemoryofherstepfather,anditrathersoftenedherjudgmentofhermother,madehersympatheticwithherwhenshewasinclinedtobecritical.Ofherownfathersheonlyknewthathehaddivorcedhermother—why,shecouldnotsay.Shelikedhermotheronmanycounts,thoughshecouldnotfeelthatsheactuallylovedher—Mrs.Carterwastoofatuousattimes,andatothertimestoorestrained.

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