proportions values capable of rise and fall, of valuation and tariff?  People declaim against marriage brokers.  What else, I pray you, are the good friends, the near relations who take tie field, except obliging, sometimes official brokers?’ Now, Regina, ’M.  Graindorge,’ who makes this proposal to the Parisian world, has lived long in America, and doubtless received his inspiration in the United States.  Hearts?  We modern belles compress our hearts, as the Chinese do their feet, until they become numb and dwarfed; and some even roast theirs before the fires of Moloch until they resemble human pate de foie gras.  There are a great many valuable truths taught us in the ancient myths, and for rugged unvarnished wisdom commend me to the Scandinavian.  Did you ever read the account of Iduna’s captivity in the castle of Thiassi in Joetunheim?”

“I never did, and what is more, I never will, if it teaches people to think as harshly of the world as you seem to do.”

“You sweet, simple blue-eyed dunce!  How shamefully your guardian neglects your education!  Never even heard of the Ellewomen?  Why, they compose the most brilliant society all over the world.  Iduna was a silly creature, with a large warm heart, and loved her husband devotedly; and in order to cure her of this arrant absurd folly she was carried away and shut up with the Ellewomen, very fair creatures always smiling sweetly.  The more bitterly the foolish young wife wept and implored their pity, the more pleasantly they smiled at her; and when she examined them closely she found that despite their beauty they were quite hollow, were made with no hearts at all, and could compassionate no one.  I have an abiding faith that they had Borgia hair, hazel eyes, red lips, and sloping white shoulders just like mine.  They have peopled the world; a large colony settled in this country, we are nearly all Ellewomen now, and you are an ignorant, wretched little Iduna, minus the apples, and must get rid of your heart at once, in order to smile constantly as we do.”

“Olga, don’t libel yourself and society so unmercifully.  Don’t marry Mr. Congreve.  Think how horrible it must be to spend all your life with a man whom you do not love!”

“I assure you, that will form no part either of his programme, or of mine.  I shall have my ‘societies’ (charitable, of course), my daily drives, my ‘Luncheons,’ and box the opera with occasional supper at Delmonico’s; and Mr. Congreve will have his Yacht affairs, and Wall Street ‘corners’ to look after, and will of course spend the majority of his evenings at that fascinating ‘Century,’ which really is the only thing that your quartz-souled guardian cherishes any affection for.”

“But Mr. Palma is not married, and when you are Mr. Congreve’s wife, of course instead of going to his club, your husband will expect to remain at home with you.”