The Odd Women

t-time, she uttered an exclamation, doubtful in its significance. Rh

sn't my cousin Everard's writing

ade no

handing her friend the epistle

n was strictly attended to, and in places a word had been ob

ite friendly on your side, you will remember, and perhaps your failure to write to me means continued displeasure; in that case I might be rejected at your door, which I shouldn't like, for I am troubled with a foolish sense of personal dignity. I have taken a flat, and mean to stay in Londo

RD BA

the sheet ve

,' said Miss Barfoo

es he app

conviction is always prejudice in the eyes of these advanced young men.

at kept you from writing to him

ove of him at all, as I h

that he hasn't

n't to be expected. He is far too stubborn. But i

apan,' rejoined Rhoda, with a

uture wisdom. Of course I disapprove of him, and, if necessary, shall let him understand that

e evening of the appointment he arrived at half-past seven. His cousin sat alone in

and the lightness of his bearing. The lower half of his forehead was wrinkled, and when he did not fix his look on anything in particular, his eyelids drooped, giving him for the moment an air of languor. On sitting down, he at once abandoned himself to a posture of the completest ease, which his admirable proportions made graceful. From his

rn,' were Miss Barfoot's first w

w. You were the first of my

Everard. You l

e same of you. And yet I hear t

ce of your infor

om Tom, in a letter that ca

ce. Who told him about me I can't imagine.

ng his knee, his

in Egypt and Turkey. Ar

ing quite a musical note, of wonderful expressiveness. The

-Miss Nunn. She will

miled. 'A partner

s me valu

rest me greatly. You always were the most interesting of our family. Brothe

e was a very

m seems satisfied. I suppose

sis, and amuses herself with imagining some oth

with the lobe of his right ear. His ears were small, and of the ideal contour; t

resence. The movement of Miss Barfoot's eyes first informed him that another person was in th

which she had arranged her hair; its tight smoothness was nothing like so becoming as the mode she usually adopted, and it made her look older. Whether by accident or design, she took an upright chair, and sat upon it

ousin Everard,' said the ho

ted amused approval, but at once he commanded himself, and entered the dining-room with exemplary gravity. Naturally, he sat o

in a light, agreeable way, avoiding the tone of instruction, and, in short, giving evidence of good taste. Rhoda listened with a

ur friend Mr. Popplet

g whatever. I shou

ll you he is in

ousin went on to tell him that the unhappy man see

tion,' remarked the young man, in his most d

looked up with interest, h

influence. To the amazement of every one who knew him, he married perhaps the dullest woman he could have found. Mrs. Poppleton not only never made a joke, but couldn't understand what j

. Everard was allowing himself a freedom in exp

the result so much that I strove my hardest to do no more than smile appreciation. My laugh compelled Mrs. Poppleton to stare at me-oh, her eyes! Thereupon, her husband began his dread performance. The patience, the heroic patience, of that dear, good fellow! I have known him explain, and re-explain, for a quarter of an hour, and invariably without success. It might be a mere pun; Mrs. Poppleton no more understood the nature of

like,' said Miss

It was the necessity, ever recurring, ever before him, of exp

probable,' asse

n unfortunate,' said the hostess. 'They tell me that Mr. Orc

me. He was worn to skin and bone. I found that he had abandoned all his possessions to Mrs. Orchard, and just kept himself alive on casual work for the magazines, wandering about the shores of the Mediterranean like an uneasy spirit. He

on. What business has he to

led before our imagination; their names, their ages, their antecedents, the wages they received, were carefully specified. We listened to a catalogue raisonne of the plates, cups, and other utensils that they had broken. We heard of the enormities which in each case led to their dismissal. Orchard tried repeatedly to change the subject, but only with the effect of irritating his wife. What could he or I do but patiently give ear? Our walk was

met those of Miss Nunn, an

men marr

. He looked down int

n,' said the hostess, wi

'Possibly, Miss Nunn, narrow social opportunity has something to do with it. They

a, elevating her eyebrows, 'that to l

se two we have been speaking o

ot changed

his eyelids drooped, he smiled absently, and a calm sigh seemed to relieve his chest. The claret had no particular quali

s saying to her friend in the drawing-

e man your remarks had sugg

ully improved. He used to assert himself in rather alarming ways

id Rhoda, who had not seated herself. 'Mr.

there will be a

f you wil

appeared, he foun

to do?' she asked of

o employ myself? I have nothing what

your

? Or so o

You deliberately inten

usiness or profession; that's all over for me; I

by enjoyment?' asked Miss

d more I worked as hard as any man; I shall never regret it, for it has given me a feeling of liberty and opportunity such as I should not have known if I had always lived at my ease. It taught me a great deal, too; supplemente

t. An infinite picture galler

lties of pleasure. That sounds shameless to you? I can't understand why it should. Why is th

sefulness

done my share. The mass of men don't toil with any such ideal, but merely to keep them

and idle hands. Pardon me; you allu

I get into mischief, it will not be because I don't perspire for so many hours every day, b

his beard, and smile

selfishness reacts on the character,' replied Miss

fusal of what one believes to be duty. I don't admit that I am neglecti

ed the other, laughing. 'I see tha

modestly. 'My time has been very ill spent i

rard. But when it comes to

ade a gesture of

oint of view; I am an individualist. You have the advantage of a tolerably consistent theory; whilst I have no theory

r at whos

has always been true of me, in spite of your sceptical look; and the tendency increases as I

ome present

ake this lady'

explained the

strong character, of course. More decidedly one

e thought as I do at any time in history. Miss

h her. Really, you know, I am

rfoot l

t! You desp

more reason for my admiring the exceptions, and wishing to see the

o human bein

iss Nunn, I feel sure,

mire the feebler female, but that is very far from

used with

line of thought. You permit me

Except,' Miss Barfoot added, 'Wednesda

are unknown to

weeks ago. Miss Nunn will be goi

m. She seemed little disposed for conversation, and Everard did not care to assail her taciturnity this evening. He

dden evening, is it not

is devoted

rring to this point of Wednesday evening, but neither made a remark. They were silent f

ven't exaggerated Mr

as delayed

to speak of him at all. B

as she stood with one foot on the fender.

rtainly change

peak of her cousin's reso

ueathed to me much of the money that would in the natural course have been

his father dis

hing without disagreeing. My uncle had risen from the ranks but he disliked to be reminded of it. He disliked the commerce by which he made his fortune. His desire was to win social position; if baronetcies could be purchased in our time, he would have given a huge sum to acquire one. But he never distinguished hi

thing or another. But men are intensely s

ians of his time preached Radicalism, but it seems unlikely. I think it was sheer vigour of character, and the strange desire to oppose his father in everything. From Eton he was of course to pass to Oxford, but at that stage came practical rebellion. No, said the boy; he wouldn't go to a university, to fill his head with useless learning; he had made up his mind to be an engineer. This was an astonishment to every one; engineering didn't seem at all the thing for him; he had ve

tening with a

han confess his error; none of us knew how he was feeling till long after. Engineering he had chosen, and an engineer he would be, cost him what effort it might. His father shouldn't triumph over him. And from the age of eighteen till nearly thirty he stuck to a professio

in quite another li

much as if he had been my younger brother; then came the shock-a shock that had a great part in shaping my life thenceforward. Since, I have thought of him as I have spoken of him to you-as an illustration of evils we have to combat.

d a puzz

lly misleading me,' she said. 'I have

nd cowardly-I can

cause of his father's leav

do with it, I

at he was cast out of

more, I fancy he had a great deal of his father's desire for command and social distinction. If he had seen his way to become a great engineer, a director of vast enterprises, he wouldn't have

medi

m at nothin

y. His friends are nearly all obscure people,

being a woman. A woman with brains and will may hope to distinguish herself in the greatest m

. That is the great sphere for men; and Everard

ough to be f

ask enough in striving

hardly know

nd her face lighted u

advance, the glory of conquering. Men have only material progress to think abou

nodded

with you, Rhoda! I don't flatter you, dear. I tell you bluntly of your faults and extravagances. But I am proud of

ody. Again Rhoda nodded, and then they laughed together,