Perhaps, though, I wrong her when I call her inconstant. It seems to me
now that each new interest was a step by which she mounted upwards,
learning to sympathise practically and perfectly with all men in their
work as she passed them on her way to find her own.




CHAPTER VI.


She knew the poor of the place well, and took a lively interest in all
that concerned them; and occasionally she would confide some of her own
odd observations and reflections to me.

"On Sunday morning all the women wash their doorsteps," she told me; "I
think it is part of their religion."

And on another occasion she said: "They have such lovely children here,
and such swarms of them. I am always hard on the women with lovely
children. People say it is envy, hatred, malice, and all
uncharitableness, that makes me so; but it really is because I think
women who have nice children should be better than other women. It
would be worse for one of them to do a wrong thing than for poor
childless me."

This conclusion may be quarrelled with as illogical, but the feeling
that led to it was beautiful beyond question; and, indeed, all her
ideas on that subject were beautiful.