My widowed sister, Claudia, was one of Ideala's most intimate friends.
She was a good deal older than Ideala, whom she loved as a mother loves
a naughty child, for ever finding fault with her, but ready to be up in
arms in a moment if any one else ventured to do likewise. She was
inclined to quarrel with me because, although I never doubted Ideala's
truth and earnestness (no one could), knowing her weak point, I feared
for her. I thought if all the passion in her were ever focussed on one
object she would do something extravagant--a prediction which Claudia,
with good intent, rashly repeated to her once.
Claudia was mistress of my house, and she and I had agreed from the
first that, whatever happened, we would watch over Ideala and befriend
her.
My sister was one of the people who thought it would have been better
for Ideala to have talked of her troubles. When I praised Ideala's
loyalty, and her uncomplaining devotion to an uncongenial duty, Claudia
said: "Loyalty is all very well; but I don't see much merit in a life-
long devotion to a bad cause. If there were any good to be done by it,
it would be different, of course; but, as it is, Ideala is simply
sacrificing herself for nothing--and worse, she is setting a bad
example by showing men they need not mend their manners since wives
will endure anything.
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