For instance, in the case of Shelley, she gloried in
his soaring, but did not let herself forget that fire-worship was not
practical; in the case of Byron, though she yielded her senses to the
spell of his passionate imagery, she reflected approvingly that she was
a married woman.
But Littleton appreciated also that his wife should have the society of
others beside himself. Pauline introduced her promptly to her own small
but intelligent feminine circle, and pending Pauline's removal to a
flat, the Saturday evening suppers were maintained at the old
establishment. Here Selma made the acquaintance of her husband's and his
sister's friends, both men and women, who dropped in often after the
play and without ceremony for a weekly interchange of thought and
comradeship. Selma looked forward to the first of these occasions with
an eager curiosity. She expected a renewal of the Benham Institute, only
in a more impressive form, as befitted a great literary centre; that
papers would be read, original compositions recited, and many
interesting people of both sexes perform according to their specialties.
She confidently hoped to have the opportunity to declaim, "Oh, why
should the spirit of mortal be proud?" "Curfew must not ring to-night,"
or some other of her literary pieces.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177