TherewasanairofcalmandreservedopulenceabouttheWeightmanmansionthatspokenotofmoneysquandered，butofwealthprudentlyapplied。StandingonacorneroftheAvenuenolongerfashionableforresidence，itlookedupontheswellingtideofbusinesswithanexpressionofcomplacencyandhalf-disdain。
Thehousewasnotbeautiful。Therewasnothinginitsstraightfrontofchocolate-coloredstone，itsheavycornices，itsbroad，staringwindowsofplateglass，itscarvedandbronze-bedeckedmahoganydoorsatthetopofthewidestoop，tocharmtheeyeorfascinatetheimagination。
Butitwaseminentlyrespectable，andinitswayimposing。
Itseemedtosaythattheglitteringshopsofthejewelers，themilliners，theconfectioners，theflorists，thepicture-dealers，thefurriers，themakersofrareandcostlyantiquities，retailtradersinluxuriesoflife，werebeneaththenoticeofahousethathaditsfoundationsinthehighfinance，andwasbuiltliterallyandfigurativelyintheshadowofSt。Petronius\'Church。
Atthesametimetherewassomethingself-pleasedandcongratulatoryinthewayinwhichthemansionhelditsownamidthechangingneighborhood。
Italmostseemedtobeliftedupalittle，amongthetallbuildingsnearathand，asifitfelttherisingvalueofthelandonwhichitstood。
JohnWeightmanwaslikethehouseintowhichhehadbuilthimselfthirtyyearsago，andinwhichhisidealsandambitionswereincrusted。
Hewasaself-mademan。Butinmakinghimselfhehadchosenahighlyesteemedpatternandworkedaccordingtotheapprovedrules。
Therewasnothingirregular，questionable，flamboyantabouthim。
Hewassolid，correct，andjustlysuccessful。
Hisminortastes，ofcourse，hadbeencarefullykeptuptodate。
Atthepropertime，picturesoftheBarbizonmasters，oldEnglishplateandportraits，bronzesbyBaryeandmarblesbyRodin，PersiancarpetsandChineseporcelains，hadbeenintroducedtothemansion。
ItcontainedaLouisQuinzereception-room，anEmpiredrawing-room，aJacobeandining-room，andvariousapartmentsdimlyreminiscentofthestylesoffurnitureaffectedbydeceasedmonarchs。Thatthehallwaysweretooshortforthehistoricperspectivedidnotmakemuchdifference。
Americandecorativeartiscapabledetout，itabsorbsallperiods。
OfeachperiodMr。Weightmanwishedtohavesomethingofthebest。
Heunderstooditsvalue，presentasacertificate，andprospectiveasaninvestment。
Itwasonlyinthearchitectureofhistownhousethatheremainedconservative，immovable，onemightalmostsayEarly-Victorian-Christian。HiscountryhouseatDulwich-on-the-SoundwasapalaceoftheItalianRenaissance。Butintownheadheredtoanarchitecturewhichhadmoralassociations，theNineteenth-Century-Brownstoneepoch。Itwasasymbolofhissocialposition，hisreligiousdoctrine，andeven，inaway，ofhisbusinesscreed。
\"Amanoffixedprinciples，\"hewouldsay，\"shouldexpresstheminthelooksofhishouse。NewYorkchangesitsdomesticarchitecturetoorapidly。Itislikedivorce。Itisnotdignified。Idon\'tlikeit。
Extravaganceandficklenessareadvertisedinmostofthesenewhouses。
Iwishtobeknownfordifferentqualities。Dignityandprudencearethethingsthatpeopletrust。EveryoneknowsthatIcanaffordtoliveinthehousethatsuitsme。Itisaguaranteetothepublic。
Itinspiresconfidence。Ithelpsmyinfluence。ThereisatextintheBibleabout\'ahousethathathfoundations。\'Thatistheproperkindofamansionforasolidman。\"
HaroldWeightmanhadoftenlistenedtohisfatherdiscoursinginthisfashiononthefundamentalprinciplesoflife，andalwayswithadividedmind。Headmiredimmenselyhisfather\'stalentsandthesingle-mindedenergywithwhichheimprovedthem。
Butinthepaternalphilosophytherewassomethingthatdisquietedandoppressedtheyoungman，andmadehimgaspinwardlyforfreshairandfreeaction。
Attimes，duringhiscollegecourseandhisyearsatthelawschool，hehadyieldedtothisimpulseandbrokenaway——nowtowardextravaganceanddissipation，andthen，whenthereactioncame，towardaromanticdevotiontoworkamongthepoor。Hehadfelthisfather\'sdisapprovalforbothoftheseformsofimprudence；butiswasneverexpressedinaharshorviolentway，alwayswithacertaintolerantpatience，suchasonemightshowforthemistakesandvagariesoftheveryyoung。
JohnWeightmanwasnothasty，impulsive，inconsiderate，eventowardhisownchildren。Withthem，aswiththerestoftheworld，hefeltthathehadareputationtomaintain，atheorytovindicate。Hecouldaffordtogivethemtimetoseethathewasabsolutelyright。
OneofhisfavoriteScripturequotationswas，\"WaitontheLord。\"
Hehadappliedittorealestateandtopeople，withprofitableresults。
Buttohumanpersonsthesensationofbeingwaitedforisnotalwaysagreeable。Sometimes，especiallywiththeyoung，itproducesavaguerestlessness，adumbresentment，whichisincreasedbythefactthatonecanhardlyexplainorjustifyit。OfthisJohnWeightmanwasnotconscious。Itlaybeyondhishorizon。
Hedidnottakeitintoaccountintheplanoflifewhichhemadeforhimselfandforhisfamilyasthesharersandinheritorsofhissuccess。
\"Fatherplaysus，\"saidHarold，inamomentofirritation，tohismother，\"likepiecesinagameofchess。
\"Mydear，\"saidthatlady，whosefaithinherhusbandwasreligious，\"yououghtnottospeaksoimpatiently。Atleasthewinsthegame。
HeisoneofthemostrespectedmeninNewYork。Andheisverygenerous，too。\"
\"Iwishhewouldbemoregenerousinlettingusbeourselves，\"
saidtheyoungman。\"Healwayshassomethinginviewforusandexpectstomoveusuptoit。\"
\"Butisn\'titalwaysforourbenefit？\"repliedhismother。
\"Lookwhatapositionwehave。Noonecansaythereisanytaintonourmoney。Therearenorumorsaboutyourfather。HehaskeptthelawsofGodandofman。Hehasnevermadeanymistakes。\"
Haroldgotupfromhischairandpokedthefire。Thenhecamebacktotheample，well-gowned，firm-lookinglady，andsatbesideheronthesofa。
Hetookherhandgentlyandlookedatthetworings——athinbandofyellowgold，andasmallsolitairediamond——whichkepttheirplaceonherthirdfingerinmodestdignity，asifnotshamed，butratherjustified，bythesplendoroftheemeraldwhichglitteredbesidethem。
\"Mother，\"hesaid，\"youhaveawonderfulhand。Andfathermadenomistakewhenhewonyou。Butareyousurehehasalwaysbeensoinerrant？\"
\"Harold，\"sheexclaimed，alittlestiffly，\"whatdoyoumean？
Hislifeisanopenbook。\"
\"Oh，\"heanswered，\"Idon\'tmeananythingbad，motherdear。
Iknowthegovernor\'slifeisanopenbook——aledger，ifyoulike，keptinthebestbookkeepinghand，andalwaysreadyforinspection——everypagecorrect，andshowingahandsomebalance。