Читать книгу The Passionate Quest онлайн

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The girl looked for a moment distressed. Her eyes were wide open now, her forehead a little wrinkled. Something of the momentary peace which had come into her face had passed away.

"Philip and I have never thought ourselves superior," she protested gently, "and I know that a great deal of what you say is true, although it sounds cruel. It is true that I want beautiful clothes and pearls, and that those things mean money, but I also want even more to travel, to live and move in beautiful places, to hear beautiful music when I choose, to possess the books I want, and have the people I like always near me. What do you want your wealth for, Matthew? You must have some idea."

"Power," he answered shortly.

"And what use would you make of that power?" Philip asked, with interest.

Matthew pressed down the tobacco in his pipe and smoked stolidly for a moment.

"I should like to fill a great place in the financial world," he replied. "I should like to build up an immense business, sell it, buy other people's businesses, sell them, and make money on every deal. I should like people to point to me in Lombard Street. I should like bank managers to come to me for advice and help. I should like to have it in my power to ruin whom I chose."