Refusing to acknowledge her dependence, Selma essayed several spasmodic
attempts to assert herself, but they proved unsatisfactory. She made the
most of Mr. Parsons's predilection for her society, which had not been
checked by Wilbur's termination of the contract. She was thus enabled to
affiliate with some of their new friends, but she was disagreeably
conscious that she was not making real progress, and that Mr. and Mrs.
Parsons and their daughter had, like herself, been dropped by the
Williamses--dropped skilfully and imperceptibly, yet none the less
dropped. Two dinner parties, which she gave in the course of a fortnight
to the most important of these new acquaintances, by way of manifesting
to Wilbur her intention to enjoy her liberty at his expense, left her
depressed and sore.
It was just at this time that Flossy took it into her head to call on
her--one of her first Lenten duties, as she hastened to assure Selma,
with glib liveliness, as soon as she entered. Flossy was in too exalted
a frame of mind, too bubbling over with the desire to recite her
triumphs, to have in mind either her doubts concerning Selma or the need
of being more than mildly apologetic for her lack of devotion. She felt
friendly, for she was in good humor, and was naively desirous to be
received in the same spirit, so that she might unbosom herself
unreservedly.
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