The old lady admired his skillful parry.  “Let us not discuss that,” said she.  “We look at life from different points of view.  No human being can see beyond his own point of view.  Only God sees life as a whole, sees how its seeming inconsistencies and injustices blend into a harmony.  Your mistake—­pardon an old woman’s criticism of experience upon inexperience—­your mistake is that you arrogate to yourself divine wisdom and set up a personal opinion as eternal truth.”

“That is very well said, admirably said,” cried Craig.  Madam Bowker would have been better pleased with the compliment had the tone been less gracious and less condescending.

“To return to the main subject,” continued she.  “Your hesitation about my granddaughter does credit to your manliness and to your sense.  I have known marriages between people of different station and rank to turn out well—­again—­”

“That’s the second or third time you’ve made that insinuation,” burst out Craig.  “I must protest against it, in the name of my father and mother, in the name of my country, Mrs. Bowker.  It is too ridiculous!  Who are you that you talk about rank and station?  What is Margaret but the daughter of a plain human being of a father, a little richer than mine and so a little nearer opportunities for education?  The claims to superiority of some of the titled people on the other side are silly enough when one examines them—­the records of knavery and thievery and illegitimacy and insanity.  But similar claims over here are laughable at a glance.  The reason I hesitate to marry your daughter is not to her credit, or to her parents’ credit—­or to yours.”

Madam Bowker was beside herself with rage at these candid insults, flung at her with all Craig’s young energy and in his most effective manner; for his crudeness disappeared when he spoke thus, as the blackness and roughness of the coal vanish in the furnace heat, transforming it into beauty and grace of flames.

“Do I make myself clear?” demanded Craig, his eyes flashing superbly upon her.

“You certainly do,” snapped the old lady, her dignity tottering and a very vulgar kind of human wrath showing uglily in her blazing eyes and twitching nose and mouth and fingers.

“Then let us have no more of this caste nonsense,” said the young man.  “Forbid your granddaughter to marry or to see me.  Send or take her away.  She will thank you a year from now.  My thanks will begin from the moment of release.”

“Yes, you have made yourself extremely clear,” said Madam Bowker in a suffocating voice.  To be thus defied, insulted, outraged, in her own magnificent salon, in her own magnificent presence!  “You may be sure you will have no further opportunity to exploit your upstart insolence in my family.  Any chance you may have had for the alliance you have so cunningly sought is at an end.”  And she waved her ebony scepter in dismissal, ringing the bell at the same time.