New York - The Novel

excuse for destroying everything we cherish. If they had their way we’d become servants of an all-embracing state, like the oriental empire of Genghis Khan. Moreover, because they believe they are right, they will do anything—they will create strikes, they will kill, and they will lie, they will always lie—to achieve their ends.”
    “A socialist. That’s terrible,” she’d said to Mr. Nicholas Murray Butler.
    “I hope I’m mistaken,” he’d said, “but I believe his opinions tend that way.”
    “What will you do?”
    “Columbia is a university, Mrs. Master. I’m not a policeman. But I keep an eye on him.”
    So now, as Hetty and Lily chatted to the seemingly pleasant young man, Rose watched him also, as carefully as one might watch an alligator or a snake.
    By and by, Hetty remarked that Rose had brought them in a Rolls-Royce. Rose observed Keller intently now; the thought of such a capitalist luxury would surely bring a glint of rage to his eye.
    “Rolls-Royce?” He was looking straight at her. His eyes were very blue, intense. “Which model?”
    “My husband calls it a Silver Ghost,” she answered reluctantly, watching him more closely than ever.
    But his face lit up with joy.
    “The Silver Ghost? That’s just been tested? Side valve? Six cylinders, three and three? A trembler coil with a magneto as well?” He had almost jumped up from his desk. “A masterpiece. However did you get it so soon? Oh, I should love to see that. May I see it?”
    “You can see it when you escort us down,” said Hetty pleasantly.
    “Well,” added Lily, “it seems we’ve made your day.”
    “You have,” he answered, with charming frankness.
    But Rose wasn’t fooled. She remembered what she’d been told. They lie. They always lie.
    Ten minutes later, they were down in the street. To the great amusement of the two old ladies, Mr. Keller even had the chauffeur open the hood so he could inspect the engine. Once he had finished, he beamed at them all, before saying farewell.
    “Now, the next time you come to see your father, you must promise to look in to see me, too,” Hetty told him. “It’s only up the street.”
    “Certainly I will,” he replied.
    “Now, dear,” the old lady turned to Rose, “you’d better give Mr. Keller your card so that he can call upon you too. I’m sure William would be delighted to take him out in the car. They can talk about the engine.”
    “That’s very kind,” said Keller. “I’d enjoy that.”
    Rose’s face turned to stone. No doubt you would, she thought. But if Edmund Keller with his socialist ideas supposed he was going to insinuate himself into her house, he was mistaken.
    “I haven’t a card with me,” she heroically lied. “But I will send one,” she added, without enthusiasm.
    “Don’t worry,” said Hetty. From her small handbag, she took one of her own cards, together with a little silver pencil, and wrote Rose’s address on the back. “It’s easy to find. Just around the corner from the Gotham Hotel.”
    “Thank you. I’ll call,” said Keller, as they drove off.
    “Well,” said Hetty, “wasn’t that nice?”

    Early that evening, when William got home, Rose told him all about it. He listened and nodded, but seemed preoccupied. Then he told the butler to bring him a large whiskey.
    “It’s been a pretty bad day on the markets,” he said.
    “I’m sorry, dear.” She smiled understandingly. “I’m sure it’ll get better …”
    “Maybe.” He frowned, drank his whiskey, and went upstairs to see the children. At dinner, she brought the subject of Keller up again, and he said, “I could just take him out in the car, and get it over with.” But thatwasn’t what she wanted. She was determined that Mr. Keller should never darken her door. At the end of dinner, William said he was tired and went off to bed.
    So she could only sigh. She’d have to try and deal with Keller herself.

    On Friday afternoon, William Vandyck Master entered Trinity Church, Wall Street. He sat down in one of the pews near the back. Then he started to pray.
    Trinity was a fine church. Thanks to its land endowments back in the seventeenth century, the church still owned much of the area. It was rich, and it had used its money wisely and well. It had founded numerous other churches in the growing city, while the Trinity vestry had been the first to provide education for the city’s Negro population at a time when many other congregations disapproved. And