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and risky chance； and took a daring flyer。 A time of trembling；
of doubt； of awful uneasiness followed； for non…success meant absolute
ruin and nothing short of it。 Then came the result； and Aleck；
faint with joy； could hardly control her voice when she said：
〃The suspense is over； Sallyand we are worth a cold million！〃
Sally wept for gratitude； and said：
〃Oh； Electra； jewel of women； darling of my heart； we are free
at last； we roll in wealth； we need never scrimp again。 it's a
case for Veuve Cliquot！〃 and he got out a pint of spruce…beer
and made sacrifice； he saying 〃Damn the expense；〃 and she rebuking
him gently with reproachful but humid and happy eyes。
They shelved the pork…packer's son and the banker's son； and sat
down to consider the Governor's son and the son of the Congressman。
CHAPTER VI
It were a weariness to follow in detail the leaps and bounds the Foster
fictitious finances took from this time forth。 It was marvelous；
it was dizzying； it was dazzling。 Everything Aleck touched turned
to fairy gold； and heaped itself glittering toward the firmament。
Millions upon millions poured in； and still the mighty stream flowed
thundering along； still its vast volume increased。 Five millions
ten millionstwentythirtywas there never to be an end？
Two years swept by in a splendid delirium； the intoxicated Fosters
scarcely noticing the flight of time。 They were now worth three hundred
million dollars； they were in every board of directors of every
prodigious combine in the country； and still as time drifted along；
the millions went on piling up； five at a time； ten at a time；
as fast as they could tally them off； almost。 The three hundred
double itselfthen doubled againand yet againand yet once more。
Twenty…four hundred millions！
The business was getting a little confused。 It was necessary
to take an account of stock； and straighten it out。 The Fosters
knew it； they felt it； they realized that it was imperative；
but they also knew that to do it properly and perfectly the task
must be carried to a finish without a break when once it was begun。
A ten…hours' job； and where could THEY find ten leisure hours
in a bunch？ Sally was selling pins and sugar and calico all day
and every day； Aleck was cooking and washing dishes and sweeping
and making beds all day and every day； with none to help；
for the daughters were being saved up for high society。 The Fosters
knew there was one way to get the ten hours； and only one。
Both were ashamed to name it； each waited for the other to do it。
Finally Sally said：
〃Somebody's got to give in。 It's up to me。 Consider that I've
named itnever mind pronouncing it out aloud。〃
Aleck colored； but was grateful。 Without further remark； they fell。
Fell； andbroke the Sabbath。 For that was their only free
ten…hour stretch。 It was but another step in the downward path。
Others would follow。 Vast wealth has temptations which fatally
and surely undermine the moral structure of persons not habituated
to its possession。
They pulled down the shades and broke the Sabbath。 With hard
and patient labor they overhauled their holdings and listed them。
And a long…drawn procession of formidable names it was！
Starting with the Railway Systems； Steamer Lines； Standard Oil；
Ocean Cables； Diluted Telegraph； and all the rest； and winding
up with Klondike； De Beers； Tammany Graft； and Shady Privileges
in the Post…office Department。
Twenty…four hundred millions； and all safely planted in Good Things；
gilt…edged and interest…bearing。 Income； 120；000；000 a year。
Aleck fetched a long purr of soft delight； and said：
〃Is it enough？〃
〃It is； Aleck。〃
〃What shall we do？〃
〃Stand pat。〃
〃Retire from business？〃
〃That's it。〃
〃I am agreed。 The good work is finished； we will take a long rest
and enjoy the money。〃
〃Good！ Aleck！〃
〃Yes； dear？〃
〃How much of the income can we spend？〃
〃The whole of it。〃
It seemed to her husband that a ton of chains fell from his limbs。
He did not say a word； he was happy beyond the power of speech。
After that； they broke the Sabbaths right along as fast as they
turned up。 It is the first wrong step that counts。 Every Sunday
they put in the whole day； after morning service； on inventions
inventions of ways to spend the money。 They got to continuing this
delicious dissipation until past midnight； and at every s'eance Aleck
lavished millions upon great charities and religious enterprises；
and Sally lavished like sums upon matters to which （at first）
he gave definite names。 Only at first。 Later the names gradually
lost sharpness of outline； and eventually faded into 〃sundries；〃
thus becoming entirelybut safelyundescriptive。 For Sally
was crumbling。 The placing of these millions added seriously
and most uncomfortably to the family expensesin tallow candles。
For a while Aleck was worried。 Then； after a little； she ceased
to worry； for the occasion of it was gone。 She was pained；
she was grieved； she was ashamed； but she said nothing； and so became
an accessory。 Sally was taking candles； he was robbing the store。
It is ever thus。 Vast wealth； to the person unaccustomed to it；
is a bane； it eats into the flesh and bone of his morals。
When the Fosters were poor； they could have been trusted with
untold candles。 But now theybut let us not dwell upon it。
From candles to apples is but a step： Sally got to taking apples；
then soap； then maple…sugar； then canned goods； then crockery。
How easy it is to go from bad to worse； when once we have started upon a
downward course！
Meantime； other effects had been milestoning the course of the Fosters'
splendid financial march。 The fictitious brick dwelling had
given place to an imaginary granite one with a checker…board
mansard roof； in time this one disappeared and gave place to a
still grander homeand so on and so on。 Mansion after mansion；
made of air； rose； higher； broader； finer； and each in its turn
vanished away； until now in these latter great days； our dreamers
were in fancy housed； in a distant region； in a sumptuous vast
palace which looked out from a leafy summit upon a noble prospect
of vale and river and receding hills steeped in tinted mists
and all private； all the property of the dreamers； a palace swarming
with liveried servants； and populous with guests of fame and power；
hailing from all the world's capitals； foreign and domestic。
This palace was far； far away toward the rising sun； immeasurably remote；
astronomically remote； in Newport； Rhode Island； Holy Land
of High Society； ineffable Domain of the American Aristocracy。
As a rule they spent a part of every Sabbathafter morning service
in this sumptuous home； the rest of it they spent in Europe；
or in dawdling around in their private yacht。 Six days of sordid
and plodding fact life at home on the ragged edge of Lakeside
and straitened means； the seventh in Fairlyandsuch had been
their program and their habit。
In their sternly restricted fact life they remained as of old
plodding； diligent； careful； practical； economical。 They stuck
loyally to the little Presbyterian Church； and labored faithfully
in its interests and stood by its high and tough doctrines with all
their mental and spiritual energies。 But in their dream life they
obeyed the invitations of their fancies； whatever they might be；
and howsoever the fancies might change。 Aleck's fancies were not
very capricious； and not frequent； but Sally's scattered a good deal。
Aleck； in her dream life； went over to the Episcopal camp； on account
of its large official titles； next she became High…church on account
of the candles and shows； and next she naturally changed to Rome；
where there were cardinals and more candles。 But these excursions
were a nothing to Sally's。 His dream life was a glowing and continuous
and persistent excitement； and he kept every part of it fresh and
sparkling by frequent changes； the religious part along with the rest。
He worked his religions hard； and changed them with his shirt。
The liberal spendings of the Fosters upon their fancies began
early in their prosperities； and grew in prodigality step by step
with their advancing fortunes。 In time they became truly enormous。
Aleck built a university or two per Sunday； also a hospital or two；
also a Rowton hotel or so； also a batch of churches； now and then
a cathedral； and once； with untimely and ill…chosen playfulness；
Sally said； 〃It was a cold day when she didn't ship a cargo of
missionaries to persuade unreflecting Chinamen to trade off twenty…four
carat Confucianism for counterfeit Christianity。〃
This rude and unfeeling language hurt Aleck to the heart； and she
went from the presence crying。 That spectacle went to his own heart；
and in his pain and shame he would have given