Explore "A Business Man" by Edgar Saltus on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
In the ornate and brilliant room, when the songbirds had flown, the musicians had departed and the last guest had gone, Duncan dropped into a chair, lit a cigar and looked at his daughter -- a slim, low-breasted beauty.
To all New York, to all at least that counts, which numerically is not enormous, she had been hostess that night. Only Effingham had been absent. At thought of him a dizziness seized her, and as Duncan lit and looked, silently she crumpled. In that ornate and brilliant room she fell to the floor, her arms outstretched. It was as though death had touched her. She was ashen.