"Assuredly not, Selma. I consider you"--and here Mrs. Earle gasped in
the process of choosing her words--"I consider you one of our best
trained and most independent minds--cultured, a friend of culture, and
an earnest seeker after truth. If you are not a lady, neither am I,
neither is anyone in Benham. Why do you ask, dear?" And without waiting
for an answer, Mrs. Earle added with a touch of material wisdom, "You
return to Benham under satisfactory, I might say, brilliant auspices.
You will be the active spirit in this fine house, and be in a position
to promote worthy intellectual and moral movements."
"Thank heavens, yes. And to combat those which are unworthy and
dangerous," exclaimed Selma, clasping her fingers, "I can count on the
support of Mr. Parsons, God bless him! And it would seem at last as if I
had, a real chance--a real chance at last. Mrs. Earle--Cora--I know you
can keep a secret. I feel almost as though you were my mother, for there
is no one else now to whom I can talk like this. I have not been happy
in New York. I thought I was happy at first, but lately we have been
miserable. My marriage--er--they drove my husband to the wall, and
killed him. He was sensitive and noble, but not practical, and he fell a
victim to the mercenary despotism of our surroundings.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353