Julia told him there were plenty who would. As they came back,
stopping to fasten each door after them, he remarked, "I think girls
are usually brought up with too much protection; I mean girls of our
class, they are too much shielded; one has them for the house only; if
they were flowers I would call them stove-plants."

Julia laughed. "You believe in the emancipation of women then?" she
said; "you would rather a woman could take care of herself, and not be
afraid, than be womanly?"

"No," he answered; "I would like them to be both, as you are."

They had come outside now; she was standing in the misty moon-light,
while he stayed to fasten the last door.

"I?" she said; "you seem to think me a paragon--clever, brave,
womanly. Do you know what I really am? I am bad; by a long way the
wickedest person you have known."

But he did not believe her, which was perhaps not altogether
surprising.




CHAPTER VI

DEBTOR AND CREDITOR