Rhoda Fleming — Volume 4 by George Meredith
page 54 of 117 (46%)
page 54 of 117 (46%)
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and Mrs. Lovell manage to talk together of such things? Why, two
men rather hang their heads a bit. My notion is, that women-- ladies, in especial, ought never to hear of sad things of this sort. Of course, I mean, if they do, it cannot harm them. It only upsets me. Why are ladies less particular than girls in Rhoda's place?" ("Shame being a virtue," was Mrs. Lovell's running comment.) "She comes up to town with her father to-morrow. The farm is ruined. The poor old man had to ask me for a loan to pay the journey. Luckily, Rhoda has saved enough with her pennies and two- pences. Ever since I left the farm, it has been in the hands of an old donkey here, who has worked it his own way. What is in the ground will stop there, and may as well. "I leave off writing, I write such stuff; and if I go on writing to you, I shall be putting these things ' -!--!--!' The way you write about Mrs. Lovell, convinces me you are not in my scrape, or else gentlemen are just as different from their inferiors as ladies are from theirs. That's the question. What is the meaning of your 'not being able to leave her for a day, for fear she should fall under other influences'? Then, I copy your words, you say, 'She is all things to everybody, and cannot help it.' In that case, I would seize my opportunity and her waist, and tell her she was locked up from anybody else. Friendship with men--but I cannot understand friendship with women, and watching them to keep them right, which must mean that you do not think much of them." Mrs. Lovell, at this point, raised her eyes abruptly from the letter and returned it. |
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