"How long is it now," she began, "since you saw Gartley?"
"Three weeks or a month," replied Hester.
"I am afraid, sadly afraid, you cannot be much of a lover, not to have
seen him for so long and look so fresh!" smiled Miss Vavasor, with
gently implied reproach, and followed the words with a sigh, as if
_she_ had memories of a different complexion.
"When one has one's work to do,--" said Hester.
"Ah, yes!" returned Miss Vavasor, not waiting for the sentence, "I
understand you have some peculiar ideas about work. That kind of thing
is spreading very much in our circle too. I know many ladies who visit
the poor. They complain there are so few unobjectionable tracts to give
them. The custom came in with these Woman's-rights. I fear they will
upset everything before long. But I hope the world will last my time. No
one can tell where such things will end."
"No," replied Hester. "Nothing has ever stopped yet."
"Is that as much as to say that nothing ever will stop?"
"I think it is something like it," said Hester.
"We know nothing about the ends of things--only the beginnings."
There had been an air of gentle raillery in Miss Vavasor's tone, and
Hester used the same, for she had no hope of coming to an understanding
with her about anything.
Pages:
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545