THE
DAUGHTERS
OF
DANAUS
BY
MONA
CAIRD
.
LONDON
:
BLISS
,
SANDS
,
AND
FOSTER
1894
THE
DAUGHTERS
OF
DANAUS
Part
I
.
CHAPTER
I
.
IT
was
only
just
light
enough
to
discern
the
five
human
forms
in
the
dimness
of
the
garret
;
the
rays
of
the
moon
having
to
find
their
way
through
the
deep
window-embrasures
of
the
keep
.
Less
illumination
would
have
sufficed
to
disclose
the
ancient
character
of
the
garret
,
with
its
low
ceiling
,
and
the
graduated
mouldings
of
the
cornice
,
giving
the
effect
of
a
shallow
dome
.
The
house
stood
obviously
very
high
,
for
one
could
see
from
the
windows
for
miles
over
a
bleak
country
,
coldly
lit
by
the
rays
of
the
moon
,
which
was
almost
at
the
full
.
Into
the
half
light
stole
presently
the
sound
of
some
lively
instrument
:
a
reel
tune
played
,
as
it
were
,
beneath
one
's
breath
,
but
with
all
the
revel
and
rollicking
emphasis
of
that
intoxicating
primitive
music
.
And
then
in
correspondingly
low
relief
,
but
with
no
less
emphasis
,
the
occupants
of
this
singular
ball-room
began
to
dance
.
One
might
have
fancied
them
some
midnight
company
of
the
dead
,
risen
from
their
graves
for
this
secret
revelry
,
so
strange
was
the
appearance
of
the
moving
figures
,
with
the
moonlight
catching
,
as
they
passed
,
the
faces
or
the
hands
.
They
danced
excellently
well
,
as
to
the
manner
born
,
tripping
in
and
out
among
the
shadows
,
with
occasional
stamping
,
in
time
to
the
music
,
and
now
and
again
that
wild
Celtic
shout
or
cry
that
sets
the
nerves
athrill
.
In
spite
of
the
whole
scene
's
being
enacted
in
a
low
key
,
it
seemed
only
to
gain
in
intensity
from
that
circumstance
,
and
in
fantastic
effect
.
Among
the
dancers
was
one
who
danced
with
peculiar
spirit
and
brilliancy
,
and
her
little
cry
had
a
ring
and
a
wildness
that
never
failed
to
set
the
others
going
with
new
inspiration
.
She
was
a
slight
,
dark-haired
girl
,
with
a
pale
,
rather
mysterious
face
,
and
large
eyes
.
Not
a
word
was
spoken
,
and
the
reel
went
on
for
nearly
ten
minutes
.
At
length
the
girl
with
the
dark
hair
gave
a
final
shout
,
and
broke
away
from
the
circle
.
With
her
desertion
the
dance
flagged
,
and
presently
came
to
an
end
.
The
first
breaking
of
the
silence
gave
a
slight
shock
,
in
spite
of
the
subdued
tones
of
the
speaker
.
“
It
is
no
use
trying
to
dance
a
reel
without
Hadria
,
”
said
a
tall
youth
,
evidently
her
brother
,
if
one
might
judge
from
his
almost
southern
colouring
and
melancholy
eyes
.
In
build
and
feature
he
resembled
the
elder
sister
,
Algitha
,
who
had
all
the
characteristics
of
a
fine
northern
race
.
“
Old
Maggie
said
the
other
day
,
that
Hadria
's
dancing
of
the
reel
was
no
‘right
canny
,
’
”
Algitha
observed
,
in
the
same
low
tone
that
all
the
occupants
of
the
garret
instinctively
adopted
.
“
Ah
!
”
cried
Fred
,
“
old
Maggie
has
always
looked
upon
Hadria
as
half
bewitched
since
that
night
when
she
found
her
here
‘a
wee
bit
bairn
,
’
as
she
says
,
at
this
very
window
,
in
her
nightshirt
,
standing
on
tiptoe
to
see
the
moonlight
.
”
“
It
frightened
the
poor
old
thing
out
of
her
wits
,
of
course
,
”
said
Algitha
,
who
was
leaning
with
crossed
arms
,
in
a
corner
of
the
deep-set
window
.
The
fine
outlines
of
face
and
form
were
shewn
in
the
strange
light
,
as
in
a
boldly-executed
sketch
,
without
detail
.
Pride
and
determination
were
the
dominant
qualities
so
indicated
.
Her
sister
stood
opposite
,
the
moonshine
making
the
smooth
pallor
of
her
face
more
striking
,
and
emphasizing
its
mysterious
quality
.
The
whole
group
of
young
faces
,
crowded
together
by
the
window
,
and
lit
up
by
the
unsympathetic
light
,
had
something
characteristic
and
unusual
in
its
aspect
,
that
might
have
excited
curiosity
.
“
Tell
us
the
story
of
the
garret
,
Hadria
,
”
said
Austin
,
the
youngest
brother
,
a
handsome
boy
of
twelve
,
with
curling
brown
hair
and
blue
eyes
.
“
Hadria
has
told
it
hundreds
of
times
,
and
you
know
it
as
well
as
she
does
.
”
“
But
I
want
to
hear
it
again
—
about
the
attack
upon
the
keep
,
and
the
shouting
of
the
men
,
while
the
lady
was
up
here
starving
to
death
.
”
But
Algitha
shook
her
head
.
“
We
do
n't
come
up
here
to
tell
stories
,
we
must
get
to
business
.
”
“
Will
you
have
the
candle
,
or
can
you
see
?
”
asked
Fred
,
the
second
brother
,
a
couple
of
years
younger
than
Hadria
,
whom
he
addressed
.
His
features
were
irregular
;
his
short
nose
and
twinkling
grey
eyes
suggesting
a
joyous
and
whimsical
temperament
.
“
I
think
I
had
better
have
the
candle
;
my
notes
are
very
illegible
.
”
Fred
drew
forth
a
candle-end
from
his
pocket
,
stuck
it
into
a
quaint-looking
stand
of
antique
steel
,
much
eaten
with
rust
,
and
set
the
candle-end
alight
.
Algitha
went
into
the
next
room
and
brought
in
a
couple
of
chairs
.
Fred
followed
her
example
till
there
were
enough
for
the
party
.
They
all
took
their
places
,
and
Hadria
,
who
had
been
provided
with
a
seat
facing
them
,
and
with
a
rickety
wooden
table
that
trembled
responsively
to
her
slightest
movement
,
laid
down
her
notes
and
surveyed
her
audience
.
The
faces
stood
out
strangely
,
in
the
lights
and
shadows
of
the
garret
.
“
Ladies
and
gentlemen
,
”
she
began
;
“
on
the
last
occasion
on
which
the
Preposterous
Society
held
its
meeting
,
we
had
the
pleasure
of
listening
to
an
able
lecture
on
‘Character’
by
our
respected
member
Demogorgon
”
(
the
speaker
bowed
to
Ernest
,
and
the
audience
applauded
)
.
“
My
address
to-night
on
‘Fate’
is
designed
to
contribute
further
ideas
to
this
fascinating
subject
,
and
to
pursue
the
enquiry
more
curiously
.
”
The
audience
murmured
approval
.
“
We
were
left
at
loggerheads
,
at
the
end
of
the
last
debate
.
I
doubted
Demogorgon
's
conclusion
,
while
admiring
his
eloquence
.
To-night
,
I
will
put
before
you
the
view
exactly
contrary
to
his
.
I
do
not
assert
that
I
hold
this
contrary
view
,
but
I
state
it
as
well
as
I
am
able
,
because
I
think
that
it
has
not
been
given
due
consideration
.
”
“
This
will
be
warm
,
”
Fred
was
heard
to
murmur
with
a
chuckle
,
to
an
adjacent
sister
.
The
speaker
looked
at
her
notes
.
“
I
will
read
,
”
she
said
,
“
a
passage
from
Emerson
,
which
states
very
strikingly
the
doctrine
that
I
am
going
to
oppose
.
”
Hadria
her
paper
aslant
towards
the
candle-end
,
which
threw
a
murky
yellow
light
upon
the
background
of
the
garret
,
contrasting
oddly
with
the
thin
,
clear
moonbeams
.
“
‘But
the
soul
contains
the
event
that
shall
befall
it
,
for
the
event
is
only
the
actualization
of
its
thoughts
;
and
what
we
pray
to
ourselves
for
is
always
granted
.
The
event
is
the
print
of
your
form
.
It
fits
you
like
your
skin
.
What
each
does
is
proper
to
him
.
Events
are
the
children
of
his
mind
and
body.’
”
Algitha
leant
forward
.
The
members
of
the
Preposterous
Society
settled
into
attitudes
of
attention
.
Hadria
said
that
this
was
a
question
that
could
not
fail
to
be
of
peculiar
interest
to
them
all
,
who
had
their
lives
before
them
,
to
make
or
mar
.
It
was
an
extremely
difficult
question
,
for
it
admitted
of
no
experiment
.
One
could
never
go
back
in
life
and
try
another
plan
.
One
could
never
make
sure
,
by
such
a
test
,
how
much
circumstance
and
how
much
innate
ideas
had
to
do
with
one
's
disposition
.
Emerson
insisted
that
man
makes
his
circumstance
,
and
history
seemed
to
support
that
theory
.
How
untoward
had
been
,
in
appearance
,
the
surroundings
of
those
who
had
made
all
the
great
movements
and
done
all
the
great
deeds
of
the
world
.
Let
one
consider
the
poverty
,
persecution
,
the
incessant
discouragement
,
and
often
the
tragic
end
of
our
greatest
benefactors
.
Christ
was
but
one
of
the
host
of
the
crucified
.
In
spite
of
the
theory
which
the
lecturer
had
undertaken
to
champion
,
she
believed
that
it
was
generally
those
people
who
had
difficult
lives
who
did
the
beneficent
deeds
,
and
generally
those
people
who
were
encouraged
and
comfortable
who
went
to
sleep
,
or
actively
dragged
down
what
the
thinkers
and
actors
had
piled
up
.
In
great
things
and
in
small
,
such
was
the
order
of
life
.
“
Hear
,
hear
,
”
cried
Ernest
,
“
my
particular
thunder
!
”
“
Wait
a
minute
,
”
said
the
lecturer
.
“
I
am
going
to
annihilate
you
with
your
particular
thunder
.
”
She
paused
for
a
moment
,
and
her
eyes
rested
on
the
strange
white
landscape
beyond
the
little
group
of
faces
upturned
towards
her
.
“
Roughly
,
we
may
say
that
people
are
divided
into
two
orders
:
first
,
the
organizers
,
the
able
,
those
who
build
,
who
create
cohesion
,
symmetry
,
reason
,
economy
;
and
,
secondly
,
the
destroyers
,
those
who
come
wandering
idly
by
,
and
unfasten
,
undo
,
relax
,
disintegrate
all
that
has
been
effected
by
the
force
and
vigilance
of
their
betters
.
This
distinction
is
carried
into
even
the
most
trivial
things
of
life
.
Yet
without
that
organization
and
coherence
,
the
existence
of
the
destroyers
themselves
would
become
a
chaos
and
a
misery
.
”
The
oak
table
over
which
Hadria
bent
forward
towards
her
audience
,
appeared
to
be
applauding
this
sentiment
vigorously
.
It
rocked
to
and
fro
on
the
uneven
floor
with
great
clamour
.
“
Thus
,
”
the
speaker
went
on
,
“
these
relaxed
and
derivative
people
are
living
on
the
strength
of
the
strong
.
He
who
is
strong
must
carry
with
him
,
as
a
perpetual
burden
,
a
mass
of
such
pensioners
,
who
are
scared
and
shocked
at
his
rude
individuality
;
and
if
he
should
trip
or
stumble
,
if
he
should
lose
his
way
in
the
untrodden
paths
,
in
seeking
new
truth
and
a
broader
foundation
for
the
lives
of
men
,
then
a
chorus
of
censure
goes
up
from
millions
of
little
throats
.
”
“
Hear
,
hear
!
”
cried
Algitha
and
Fred
,
and
the
table
rocked
enthusiastically
.
“
But
when
the
good
things
are
gained
for
which
the
upholders
have
striven
and
perhaps
given
their
lives
,
then
there
are
no
more
greedy
absorbers
of
the
bounty
than
these
same
innumerable
little
throats
.
”
The
table
led
the
chorus
of
assent
.
“
And
now
,
”
said
the
lecturer
slowly
,
”
consider
this
in
relation
to
the
point
at
issue
.
Emerson
asserts
that
circumstance
can
always
be
conquered
.
But
is
not
circumstance
,
to
a
large
extent
,
created
by
these
destroyers
,
as
I
have
called
them
?
Has
not
the
strongest
soul
to
count
with
these
,
who
weave
the
web
of
adverse
conditions
,
whose
dead
weight
has
to
be
carried
,
whose
work
of
destruction
has
to
be
incessantly
repaired
?
Who
can
dare
to
say
‘I
am
master
of
my
fate
,
’
when
he
does
not
know
how
large
may
be
the
share
of
the
general
burden
that
will
fall
to
him
to
drag
through
life
,
how
great
may
be
the
number
of
these
parasites
who
are
living
on
the
moral
capital
of
their
generation
?
Surely
circumstance
consists
largely
in
the
inertia
,
the
impenetrability
of
the
destroyers
.
”
Ernest
shewed
signs
of
restiveness
.
He
shuffled
on
his
chair
,
made
muttered
exclamations
.
“
Presently
,
”
said
the
lecturer
reassuringly
.
“
Or
put
it
in
another
way
,
”
she
went
on
.
“
A
man
may
make
a
thing
—
circumstance
included
—
but
he
is
not
a
sort
of
moral
spider
;
he
ca
n't
spin
it
out
of
his
own
inside
.
He
wants
something
to
make
it
of
.
The
formative
force
comes
from
within
,
but
he
must
have
material
,
just
as
much
as
a
sculptor
must
have
his
marble
before
he
can
shape
his
statue
.
There
is
a
subtle
relation
between
character
and
conditions
,
and
it
is
this
relation
that
determines
Fate
.
Fate
is
as
the
statue
of
the
sculptor
.
”
“
That
's
where
Hadria
mainly
differs
from
you
,
”
said
Fred
,
“
you
make
the
thing
absolute
;
Hadria
makes
it
a
matter
of
relation
.
”
“
Exactly
,
”
assented
the
lecturer
,
catching
the
remark
.
“
Difficulties
need
not
be
really
obstructive
to
the
best
development
of
a
character
or
a
power
,
nor
a
smooth
path
always
favourable
.
Obstacles
may
be
of
a
kind
to
stimulate
one
person
and
to
annihilate
another
.
It
is
not
a
question
of
relative
strength
between
character
and
circumstance
,
as
people
are
so
fond
of
asserting
.
That
is
mere
gibberish
.
It
means
nothing
.
The
two
things
cannot
be
compared
,
for
they
are
not
of
the
same
nature
.
They
ca
n't
be
reduced
to
a
common
denominator
.
”
Austin
appreciated
this
illustration
,
being
head
of
his
class
for
arithmetic
.
“
We
shall
never
be
able
to
take
a
reasonable
view
of
this
question
till
we
get
rid
of
that
ridiculous
phrase
,
‘
If
the
soul
is
strong
enough
,
it
can
overcome
circumstance
.’
In
a
room
filled
with
carbonic
acid
instead
of
ordinary
air
,
a
giant
would
succumb
as
quickly
as
a
dwarf
,
and
his
strength
would
avail
him
nothing
.
Indeed
,
if
there
is
a
difference
,
it
is
in
favour
of
the
dwarf
.
”
Ernest
frowned
.
This
was
all
high
treason
against
his
favourite
author
.
He
had
given
his
sister
a
copy
of
Emerson
's
works
last
Christmas
,
in
the
hope
that
her
views
might
be
enlightened
,
and
this
was
the
disgraceful
use
she
made
of
it
!
“
Finally
,
”
said
Hadria
,
smiling
defiantly
at
her
brother
,
“
let
us
put
the
question
shortly
thus
:
Given
(
say
)
great
artistic
power
,
given
also
a
conscience
and
a
strong
will
,
is
there
any
combination
of
circumstances
which
might
prevent
the
artistic
power
(
assuming
it
to
be
of
the
highest
order
and
strength
)
from
developing
and
displaying
itself
,
so
as
to
meet
with
general
recognition
?
”
“
No
,
”
asserted
Ernest
,
and
there
was
a
hesitating
chorus
on
his
side
.
“
There
seem
to
me
to
be
a
thousand
chances
against
it
,
”
Hadria
continued
.
“
Artistic
power
,
to
begin
with
,
is
a
sort
of
weakness
in
relation
to
the
everyday
world
,
and
so
,
in
some
respects
,
is
a
nice
conscience
.
I
think
Emerson
is
shockingly
unjust
.
His
beaming
optimism
is
a
worship
of
success
disguised
under
lofty
terms
.
There
is
nothing
to
prove
that
thousands
have
not
been
swamped
by
maladjustment
of
character
to
circumstance
,
and
I
would
even
go
so
far
as
to
suggest
that
perhaps
the
very
greatest
of
all
are
those
whom
the
world
has
never
known
,
because
the
present
conditions
are
inharmonious
with
the
very
noblest
and
the
very
highest
qualities
.
”
No
sooner
was
the
last
word
uttered
than
the
garret
became
the
scene
of
the
stormiest
debate
that
had
ever
been
recorded
in
the
annals
of
the
Preposterous
Society
,
an
institution
that
had
lately
celebrated
its
fifth
anniversary
.
Hadria
,
fired
by
opposition
,
declared
that
the
success
of
great
people
was
due
not
simply
to
their
greatness
,
but
to
some
smaller
and
commoner
quality
which
brought
them
in
touch
with
the
majority
,
and
so
gave
their
greatness
a
chance
.
At
this
,
there
was
such
a
howl
of
indignation
that
Algitha
remonstrated
.
“
We
shall
be
heard
,
if
you
do
n't
take
care
,
”
she
warned
.
“
My
dear
Algitha
,
there
are
a
dozen
empty
rooms
between
us
and
the
inhabited
part
of
the
house
,
not
to
mention
the
fact
that
we
are
a
storey
above
everyone
except
the
ghosts
,
so
I
think
you
may
compose
yourself
.
”
However
,
the
excited
voices
were
hushed
a
little
as
the
discussion
continued
.
One
of
the
chief
charms
of
the
institution
,
in
the
eyes
of
the
members
of
the
Society
,
was
its
secrecy
.
The
family
,
though
united
by
ties
of
warm
affection
to
their
parents
,
did
not
look
for
encouragement
from
them
in
this
direction
.
Mr.
Fullerton
was
too
exclusively
scientific
in
his
bent
of
thought
,
to
sympathize
with
the
kind
of
speculation
in
which
his
children
delighted
,
while
their
mother
looked
with
mingled
pride
and
alarm
at
these
outbreaks
of
individuality
on
the
part
of
her
daughters
,
for
whom
she
craved
the
honours
of
the
social
world
.
In
this
out-of-the-way
district
,
society
smiled
upon
conformity
,
and
glared
vindictively
at
the
faintest
sign
of
spontaneous
thinking
.
Cleverness
of
execution
,
as
in
music
,
tennis
,
drawing
,
was
forgiven
,
even
commended
;
but
originality
,
though
of
the
mildest
sort
,
created
the
same
agonizing
disturbance
in
the
select
circle
,
as
the
sight
of
a
crucifix
is
wont
to
produce
upon
the
father
of
Evil
.
Yet
by
some
freak
of
fortune
,
the
whole
family
at
Dunaghee
had
shewn
obstinate
symptoms
of
individuality
from
their
childhood
,
and
,
what
was
more
distressing
,
the
worst
cases
occurred
in
the
girls
.
In
the
debate
just
recorded
,
that
took
place
on
Algitha
's
twenty-second
birthday
,
Ernest
had
been
Hadria
's
principal
opponent
,
but
the
others
had
also
taken
the
field
against
her
.
“
You
have
the
easier
cause
to
champion
,
”
she
said
,
when
there
was
a
momentary
lull
,
“
for
all
your
evidences
can
be
pointed
to
and
counted
whereas
mine
,
poor
things
—
pale
hypotheses
,
nameless
peradventures
—
lie
in
forgotten
church-yards
—
unthought
of
,
unthanked
,
untrumpeted
,
and
all
their
tragedy
is
lost
in
the
everlasting
silence
.
”
“
You
will
never
make
people
believe
in
what
might
have
been
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
I
do
n't
expect
to
.
”
Hadria
was
standing
by
the
window
looking
out
over
the
glimmering
fields
and
the
shrouded
white
hills
.
“
Life
is
as
white
and
as
unsympathetic
as
this
,
”
she
said
dreamily
.
“
We
just
dance
our
reel
in
our
garret
,
and
then
it
is
all
over
;
and
whether
we
do
the
steps
as
our
fancy
would
have
them
,
or
a
little
otherwise
,
because
of
the
uneven
floor
,
or
tired
feet
,
or
for
lack
of
chance
to
learn
the
steps
—
heavens
and
earth
,
what
does
it
matter
?
”
“
Hadria
!
”
exclaimed
an
astonished
chorus
.
The
sentiment
was
so
entirely
unlike
any
that
the
ardent
President
of
the
Society
had
ever
been
known
to
express
before
,
that
brothers
and
sisters
crowded
up
to
enquire
into
the
cause
of
the
unusual
mood
.
“
Oh
,
it
is
only
the
moonlight
that
has
got
into
my
head
,
”
she
said
,
flinging
back
the
cloudy
black
hair
from
her
brow
.
Algitha
's
firm
,
clear
voice
vibrated
through
the
room
.
“
But
I
think
it
matters
very
much
whether
one
's
task
is
done
well
or
ill
,
”
she
said
,
“
and
nobody
has
taught
me
to
wish
to
make
solid
use
of
my
life
so
much
as
you
have
,
Hadria
.
What
possesses
you
to-night
?
”
“
I
tell
you
,
the
moonlight
.
”
“
And
something
else
.
”
“
Well
,
it
struck
me
,
as
I
stood
there
with
my
head
full
of
what
we
have
been
discussing
,
that
the
conditions
of
a
girl
's
life
of
our
own
class
are
pleasant
enough
,
but
they
are
stifling
,
absolutely
stifling
;
and
not
all
the
Emersons
in
the
world
will
convince
me
to
the
contrary
.
Emerson
never
was
a
girl
!
”
There
was
a
laugh
.
“
No
;
but
he
was
a
great
man
,
”
said
Ernest
.
“
Then
he
must
have
had
something
of
the
girl
in
him
!
”
cried
Hadria
.
“
I
did
n't
mean
that
,
but
perhaps
it
is
true
.
”
“
If
he
had
been
a
girl
,
he
would
have
known
that
conditions
do
count
hideously
in
one
's
life
.
I
think
that
there
are
more
‘destroyers’
to
be
carried
about
and
pampered
in
this
department
of
existence
than
in
any
other
(
material
conditions
being
equal
)
.
”
“
Do
you
mean
that
a
girl
would
have
more
difficulty
in
bringing
her
power
to
maturity
and
getting
it
recognized
than
a
man
would
have
?
”
asked
Fred
.
“
Yes
;
the
odds
are
too
heavy
.
”
“
A
second-rate
talent
perhaps
,
”
Ernest
admitted
,
“
but
not
a
really
big
one
.
”
“
I
should
exactly
reverse
that
statement
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
The
greater
the
power
and
the
finer
its
quality
,
the
greater
the
inharmony
between
the
nature
and
the
conditions
;
therefore
the
more
powerful
the
leverage
against
it
.
A
small
comfortable
talent
might
hold
its
own
,
where
a
larger
one
would
succumb
.
That
is
where
I
think
you
make
your
big
mistake
,
in
forgetting
that
the
greatness
of
the
power
may
serve
to
make
the
greatness
of
the
obstacles
.
”
“
So
much
the
better
for
me
then
,
”
said
Algitha
,
with
a
touch
of
satire
;
“
for
I
have
no
idea
of
being
beaten
.
”
She
folded
her
arms
in
a
serene
attitude
of
determination
.
“
Surely
it
only
wants
a
little
force
of
will
to
enable
you
to
occupy
your
life
in
the
manner
you
think
best
,
”
said
Ernest
.
“
That
is
often
impossible
for
a
girl
,
because
prejudice
and
custom
are
against
her
.
”
“
But
she
ought
to
despise
prejudice
and
custom
,
”
cried
the
brother
,
nobly
.
“
So
she
often
would
;
but
then
she
has
to
tear
through
so
many
living
ties
that
restrain
her
freedom
.
”
Algitha
drew
herself
up
.
“
If
one
is
unjustly
restrained
,
”
she
said
,
“
it
is
perfectly
right
to
brave
the
infliction
of
the
sort
of
pain
that
people
feel
only
because
they
unfairly
object
to
one
's
liberty
of
action
.
”
“
But
what
a
frightful
piece
of
circumstance
that
is
to
encounter
,
”
cried
Hadria
,
“
to
have
to
buy
the
mere
right
to
one
's
liberty
by
cutting
through
prejudices
that
are
twined
in
with
the
very
heart-strings
of
those
one
loves
!
Ah
!
that
particular
obstacle
has
held
many
a
woman
helpless
and
suffering
,
like
some
wretched
insect
pinned
alive
to
a
board
throughout
a
miserable
lifetime
!
What
would
Emerson
say
to
these
cases
?
That
‘Nature
magically
suits
the
man
to
his
fortunes
by
making
these
the
fruit
of
his
character’
?
Pooh
!
I
think
Nature
more
often
makes
a
man
's
fortunes
a
veritable
shirt
of
Nessus
which
burns
and
clings
,
and
finally
kills
him
with
anguish
!
”
CHAPTER
II
.
ONCE
more
the
old
stronghold
of
Dunaghee
,
inured
for
centuries
to
the
changes
of
the
elements
,
received
the
day
's
greeting
.
The
hues
of
dawn
tinged
the
broad
hill
pastures
,
or
“
airds
,
”
as
they
were
called
,
round
about
the
Tower
of
the
Winds
.
No
one
was
abroad
yet
in
the
silent
lands
,
except
perhaps
a
shepherd
,
tending
his
flock
.
The
little
farmstead
of
Craw
Gill
,
that
lay
at
a
distance
of
about
a
couple
of
miles
down
the
valley
,
on
the
side
of
a
ravine
,
was
apparently
dead
asleep
.
Cruachmore
,
the
nearest
upland
farm
,
could
scarcely
be
seen
from
the
stronghold
.
The
old
tower
had
been
added
to
,
perhaps
two
hundred
years
ago
;
a
rectangular
block
projecting
from
the
corner
of
the
original
building
,
and
then
a
second
erection
at
right
angles
to
the
first
,
so
as
to
form
three
sides
of
an
irregular
courtyard
.
This
arrangement
afforded
some
shelter
from
the
winds
which
seldom
ceased
to
blow
in
these
high
regions
.
The
spot
had
borne
the
same
reputation
for
centuries
,
as
the
name
of
the
old
tower
implied
.
The
Tower
of
the
Winds
stood
desolately
,
in
the
midst
of
a
wide-eyed
agricultural
country
,
and
was
approached
only
by
a
sort
of
farm
track
that
ran
up
hill
and
down
dale
,
in
a
most
erratic
course
,
to
the
distant
main
road
.
The
country
was
not
mountainous
,
though
it
lay
in
a
northern
district
of
Scotland
;
it
was
bleak
and
solitary
,
with
vast
bare
fields
of
grass
or
corn
;
and
below
in
the
valley
,
a
river
that
rushed
sweeping
over
its
rough
bed
,
silent
where
it
ran
deep
,
but
chattering
busily
in
the
shallows
.
Here
was
verdure
to
one
's
heart
's
content
;
the
whole
country
being
a
singular
mixture
of
bleakness
on
the
heights
,
and
woodland
richness
in
the
valleys
;
bitterly
cold
in
the
winter
months
,
when
the
light
deserted
the
uplands
ridiculously
early
in
the
afternoon
,
leaving
long
mysterious
hours
that
held
the
great
silent
stretches
of
field
and
hillside
in
shadow
:
a
circumstance
,
which
had
,
perhaps
,
not
been
without
its
influence
in
the
forming
of
Hadria
's
character
.
She
,
more
than
the
others
,
seemed
to
have
absorbed
the
spirit
of
the
northern
twilights
.
It
was
her
custom
to
wander
alone
over
the
broad
spaces
of
the
hills
,
watching
the
sun
set
behind
them
,
the
homeward
flight
of
the
birds
,
the
approach
of
darkness
and
the
rising
of
the
stars
.
Every
instinct
that
was
born
in
her
with
her
Celtic
blood
—
which
lurked
still
in
the
family
to
the
confounding
of
its
fortunes
—
was
fostered
by
the
mystery
and
wildness
of
her
surroundings
.
Dawn
and
sunset
had
peculiar
attractions
for
her
.
Although
the
Preposterous
Society
had
not
separated
until
unusually
late
on
the
previous
night
,
the
President
was
up
and
abroad
on
this
exquisite
morning
,
summoned
by
some
“
message
of
range
and
of
sweep
—
”
to
the
flushing
stretches
of
pasture
and
the
windy
hillside
.
In
spite
of
the
view
that
Hadria
had
expounded
in
her
capacity
of
lecturer
,
she
had
an
inner
sense
that
somehow
,
after
all
,
the
will
can
perform
astonishing
feats
in
Fate
's
despite
.
Her
intellect
,
rather
than
her
heart
,
had
opposed
the
philosophy
of
Emerson
.
Her
sentiment
recoiled
from
admitting
the
possibility
of
such
tragedy
as
her
expressed
belief
implied
.
This
morning
,
the
wonder
and
the
grandeur
of
the
dawn
supplied
arguments
to
faith
.
If
the
best
in
human
nature
were
always
to
be
hunted
down
and
extinguished
,
if
the
efforts
to
rise
in
the
scale
of
being
,
to
bring
gifts
instead
of
merely
absorbing
benefits
,
were
only
by
a
rare
combination
of
chances
to
escape
the
doom
of
annihilation
,
where
was
one
to
turn
to
for
hope
,
or
for
a
motive
for
effort
?
How
could
one
reconcile
the
marvellous
beauty
of
the
universe
,
the
miracles
of
colour
,
form
,
and
,
above
all
,
of
music
,
with
such
a
chaotic
moral
condition
,
and
such
unlovely
laws
in
favour
of
dulness
,
cowardice
,
callousness
,
cruelty
?
One
aspired
to
be
an
upholder
and
not
a
destroyer
,
but
if
it
were
a
useless
pain
and
a
bootless
venture
—
?
Hadria
tried
to
find
some
proof
of
the
happier
philosophy
that
would
satisfy
her
intellect
,
but
it
refused
to
be
comforted
.
Yet
as
she
wandered
in
the
rosy
light
over
the
awakening
fields
,
her
heart
sang
within
her
.
The
world
was
exquisite
,
life
was
a
rapture
!
She
could
take
existence
in
her
hands
and
form
and
fashion
it
at
her
will
,
obviously
,
easily
;
her
strength
yearned
for
the
task
.
Yet
all
the
time
,
the
importunate
intellect
kept
insisting
that
feeling
was
deceptive
,
that
health
and
youth
and
the
freshness
of
the
morning
spoke
in
her
,
and
not
reason
or
experience
.
Feeling
was
left
untouched
nevertheless
.
It
was
impossible
to
stifle
the
voices
that
prophesied
golden
things
.
Life
was
all
before
her
she
was
full
of
vigour
and
longing
and
good
will
;
the
world
stretched
forth
as
a
fair
territory
,
with
magical
pathways
leading
up
to
dizzy
mountain
tops
.
With
visions
such
as
these
,
the
members
of
the
Preposterous
Society
had
fired
their
imaginations
,
and
gained
impetus
for
their
various
efforts
and
their
various
ambitions
.
Hadria
had
been
among
the
most
hopeful
of
the
party
,
and
had
pointed
to
the
loftier
visions
,
and
the
more
impersonal
aims
.
Circumstance
must
give
way
,
compromise
was
wrong
;
we
had
but
a
short
time
in
this
world
,
and
mere
details
and
prejudices
must
not
be
allowed
to
interfere
with
one
's
right
to
live
to
the
utmost
of
one
's
scope
.
But
it
was
easier
to
state
a
law
than
to
obey
it
;
easier
to
inspire
others
with
faith
than
to
hold
fast
to
it
oneself
.
The
time
for
taking
matters
in
one
's
own
hands
had
scarcely
come
.
A
girl
was
so
helpless
,
so
tied
by
custom
.
One
could
engage
,
so
far
,
only
in
guerilla
warfare
with
the
enemy
,
who
lurked
everywhere
in
ambush
,
ready
to
harass
the
wayfarers
with
incessant
petty
attack
.
But
life
must
have
something
more
to
offer
than
this
—
life
with
its
myriad
interests
,
dramas
,
mysteries
,
arts
,
poetries
,
delights
!
By
the
river
,
where
it
had
worn
for
itself
a
narrow
ravine
,
with
steep
rocky
sides
or
“
clints
,
”
as
they
were
called
,
several
short
tunnels
or
passages
had
been
cut
in
places
where
the
rock
projected
as
far
as
the
bank
of
the
river
,
which
was
followed
in
its
windings
by
a
narrow
footway
,
leading
to
the
farmstead
of
Craw
Gill
.
In
one
part
,
a
series
of
such
tunnels
,
with
intervals
of
open
pathway
,
occurred
in
picturesque
fashion
,
causing
a
singular
effect
of
light
and
shade
.
As
Hadria
stood
admiring
the
glow
of
the
now
fully-risen
sun
,
upon
the
wall
of
rock
that
rose
beyond
the
opening
of
the
tunnel
which
she
had
just
passed
through
,
she
heard
footsteps
advancing
along
the
riverside
path
,
and
guessed
that
Algitha
and
Ernest
had
come
to
fetch
her
,
or
to
join
in
any
absurd
project
that
she
might
have
in
view
.
Although
Algitha
was
two-and-twenty
,
and
Hadria
only
a
year
younger
,
they
were
still
guilty
at
times
of
wild
escapades
,
with
the
connivance
of
their
brothers
.
Walks
or
rides
at
sunrise
were
ordinary
occurrences
in
the
family
,
and
in
summer
,
bathing
in
the
river
was
a
favourite
amusement
.
“
I
thought
I
recognised
your
footsteps
,
”
said
Hadria
,
as
the
two
figures
appeared
at
the
mouth
of
the
tunnel
,
the
low
rays
of
the
sun
lighting
them
up
,
for
a
moment
,
as
they
turned
the
sharp
bend
of
the
narrow
path
,
before
entering
the
shadow
.
A
quantity
of
brown
dead
leaves
were
strewn
upon
the
floor
of
the
rock-passage
,
blown
in
by
the
wind
from
the
pathway
at
each
end
,
or
perhaps
through
the
opening
in
the
middle
of
the
tunnel
that
looked
out
upon
the
rushing
river
.
A
willow-tree
had
found
footing
in
the
crevice
of
the
rock
just
outside
,
and
its
branches
,
thinly
decked
with
pale
yellow
leaves
,
dipped
into
the
water
just
in
front
of
the
opening
.
When
the
wind
blew
off
the
river
it
would
sweep
the
leaves
of
the
willow
into
the
tunnel
.
“
Let
's
make
a
bonfire
,
”
suggested
Ernest
.
They
collected
the
withered
harvest
of
the
winds
upon
the
cavern
floor
,
in
a
big
brown
heap
,
and
then
Ernest
struck
a
match
and
set
light
to
it
.
Algitha
,
in
a
large
black
cloak
,
stood
over
it
with
a
hazel
stick
—
like
a
wand
—
stirring
and
heaping
on
the
fuel
,
as
the
mass
began
to
smoulder
and
to
send
forth
a
thick
white
smoke
that
gradually
filled
the
cavern
,
curling
up
into
the
rocky
roof
and
swirling
round
and
out
by
the
square-cut
mouth
,
to
be
caught
there
by
the
slight
wind
and
illumined
by
the
sun
,
which
poured
down
upon
the
soft
coils
of
the
smoke
,
in
so
strange
a
fashion
,
as
to
call
forth
a
cry
of
wonder
from
the
onlookers
.
Standing
in
the
interval
of
open
pathway
between
the
two
rock-passages
,
and
looking
back
at
the
fire-lit
cavern
,
with
its
black
shadows
and
flickering
flame-colours
,
Hadria
was
bewildered
by
what
appeared
to
her
a
veritable
magic
vision
,
beautiful
beyond
anything
that
she
had
ever
met
in
dream
.
She
stood
still
to
watch
,
with
a
real
momentary
doubt
as
to
whether
she
were
awake
.
The
figures
,
stooping
over
the
burning
heap
,
moved
occasionally
across
the
darkness
,
looking
like
a
witch
and
her
familiar
spirit
,
who
were
conjuring
,
by
uncanny
arts
,
a
vision
of
life
,
on
the
strange
,
white
,
clean-cut
patch
of
smoke
that
was
defined
by
the
sunlit
entrance
to
the
tunnel
.
The
witch
stirred
,
and
her
familiar
added
fuel
,
while
behind
them
the
smoke
,
rising
and
curdling
,
formed
the
mysterious
background
of
light
:
opaque
,
and
yet
in
a
state
of
incessant
movement
,
as
of
some
white
raging
fire
,
thinner
and
more
deadly
than
any
ordinary
earthly
element
,
that
seemed
to
sicken
and
flicker
in
the
blast
of
a
furnace
,
and
then
rushed
upwards
,
and
coiled
and
rolled
across
the
tunnel
's
mouth
.
Presently
,
as
a
puff
of
wind
swept
away
part
of
the
smoke
,
a
miraculous
tinge
of
rosy
colour
appeared
,
changing
,
as
one
caught
it
,
into
gold
,
and
presently
to
a
milky
blue
,
then
liquid
green
,
and
a
thousand
intermediate
tints
corresponding
to
the
altering
density
of
the
smoke
—
and
then
!
Hadria
caught
her
breath
—
the
blue
and
the
red
and
the
gold
melted
and
moved
and
formed
,
under
the
incantation
,
into
a
marvellous
vision
of
distant
lands
,
purple
mountains
,
fair
white
cities
,
and
wide
kingdoms
,
so
many
,
so
great
,
that
the
imaginltion
staggered
at
the
vastness
revealed
,
and
offered
,
as
it
seemed
,
to
him
who
could
grasp
and
perceive
it
.
Among
those
blue
deeps
and
faint
innumerable
mountaintops
,
caught
through
a
soft
mist
that
continually
moved
and
lifted
,
thinned
and
thickened
,
with
changing
tints
,
all
the
secrets
,
all
the
hopes
,
all
the
powers
and
splendours
,
of
life
lay
hidden
;
and
the
beauty
of
the
vision
was
as
the
essence
of
poetry
and
of
music
—
of
all
that
is
lovely
in
the
world
of
art
,
and
in
the
world
of
the
emotions
.
The
question
that
had
been
debated
so
hotly
and
so
often
,
as
to
the
relation
of
the
good
and
the
beautiful
,
art
and
ethics
,
seemed
to
be
answered
by
this
bewildering
revelation
of
sunlit
smoke
,
playing
across
the
face
of
a
purple-tinted
rock
,
and
a
few
feet
of
grass-edged
pathway
.
“
Come
and
see
what
visions
you
have
conjured
up
,
O
witch
!
”
cried
Hadria
.
Algitha
gave
a
startled
exclamation
,
as
the
smoke
thinned
and
revealed
that
bewildering
glimpse
of
distant
lands
,
half
seen
,
as
through
the
atmosphere
of
a
dream
.
An
exquisite
city
,
with
slender
towers
and
temples
,
flashed
,
for
a
moment
,
through
the
mist
curtain
.
“
If
life
is
like
that
,
”
she
said
at
length
,
drawing
a
long
breath
,
“
nothing
on
this
earth
ought
to
persuade
us
to
forgo
it
;
no
one
has
the
right
to
hold
one
back
from
its
possession
.
”
“
No
one
,
”
said
Hadria
;
“
but
everyone
will
try
!
”
“
Let
them
try
,
”
returned
Algitha
defiantly
.
CHAPTER
III
.
ERNEST
and
his
two
sisters
walked
homeward
along
the
banks
of
the
river
,
and
thence
up
by
a
winding
path
to
the
top
of
the
cliffs
.
It
was
mild
weather
,
and
they
decided
to
pause
in
the
little
temple
of
classic
design
,
which
some
ancient
owner
of
the
Drumgarran
estate
,
touched
with
a
desire
for
the
exquisiteness
of
Greek
outline
,
had
built
on
a
promontory
of
the
rocks
,
among
rounded
masses
of
wild
foliage
;
a
spot
that
commanded
one
of
the
most
beautiful
reaches
of
the
river
.
The
scene
had
something
of
classic
perfection
and
serenity
.
“
I
admit
,
”
said
Ernest
in
response
to
some
remark
of
one
of
his
sisters
,
“
I
admit
that
I
should
not
like
to
stay
here
during
all
the
best
years
of
my
life
,
without
prospect
of
widening
my
experience
;
only
as
a
matter
of
fact
,
the
world
is
somewhat
different
from
anything
that
you
imagine
,
and
by
no
means
would
you
find
it
all
beer
and
skittles
.
Your
smoke
and
sun-vision
is
not
to
be
trusted
.
”
“
But
think
of
the
pride
and
joy
of
being
able
to
speak
in
that
tone
of
experience
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
mockingly
.
“
One
has
to
pay
for
experience
,
”
said
Ernest
,
shaking
his
head
and
ignoring
her
taunt
.
“
I
think
one
has
to
pay
more
heavily
for
in
experience
,
”
she
said
.
“
Not
if
one
never
comes
in
contact
with
the
world
.
Girls
are
protected
from
the
realities
of
life
so
long
as
they
remain
at
home
,
and
that
is
worth
something
after
all
.
”
Algitha
snorted
.
“
I
do
n't
know
what
you
are
pleased
to
call
realities
,
my
dear
Ernest
,
but
I
can
assure
you
there
are
plenty
of
unpleasant
facts
,
in
this
protected
life
of
ours
.
”
“
Nobody
can
expect
to
escape
unpleasant
facts
,
”
said
Ernest
.
“
Then
for
heaven
's
sake
,
let
us
purchase
with
them
something
worth
having
!
”
Hadria
cried
.
“
Hear
,
hear
!
”
assented
Algitha
.
“
Unpleasant
facts
being
a
foregone
conclusion
,
”
Hadria
added
,
“
the
point
to
aim
at
obviously
is
interesting
facts
—
and
plenty
of
them
.
”
Ernest
flicked
a
pebble
off
the
parapet
of
the
balustrade
of
the
little
temple
,
and
watched
it
fall
,
with
a
silent
splash
,
into
the
river
.
“
I
never
met
girls
before
,
who
wanted
to
come
out
of
their
cotton-wool
,
”
he
observed
.
“
I
thought
girls
loved
cotton-wool
.
They
always
seem
to
.
”
“
Girls
seem
an
astonishing
number
of
things
that
they
are
not
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
especially
to
men
.
A
poor
benighted
man
might
as
well
try
to
get
on
to
confidential
terms
with
the
Sphinx
,
as
to
learn
the
real
thoughts
and
wishes
of
a
girl
.
”
“
You
two
are
exceptional
,
you
see
,
”
said
Ernest
.
“
Oh
,
everybody
's
exceptional
,
if
you
only
knew
it
!
”
exclaimed
his
sister
.
“
Girls
,
”
she
went
on
to
assert
,
“
are
stuffed
with
certain
stereotyped
sentiments
from
their
infancy
,
and
when
that
painful
process
is
completed
,
intelligent
philosophers
come
and
smile
upon
the
victims
,
and
point
to
them
as
proofs
of
the
intentions
of
Nature
regarding
our
sex
,
admirable
examples
of
the
unvarying
instincts
of
the
feminine
creature
.
In
fact
,
”
Hadria
added
with
a
laugh
,
“
it
's
as
if
the
trainer
of
that
troop
of
performing
poodles
that
we
saw
,
the
other
day
,
at
Ballochcoil
,
were
to
assure
the
spectators
that
the
amiable
animals
were
inspired
,
from
birth
,
by
a
heaven-implanted
yearning
to
jump
through
hoops
,
and
walk
about
on
their
hind
legs
—
”
“
But
there
are
such
things
as
natural
instincts
,
”
said
Ernest
.
“
There
are
such
things
as
acquired
tricks
,
”
returned
Hadria
.
A
loud
shout
,
accompanied
by
the
barking
of
several
dogs
,
announced
the
approach
of
the
two
younger
boys
.
Boys
and
dogs
had
been
taking
their
morning
bath
in
the
river
.
“
You
have
broken
in
upon
a
most
interesting
discourse
,
”
said
Ernest
.
“
Hadria
was
really
coming
out
.
”
This
led
to
a
general
uproar
.
When
peace
was
restored
,
the
conversation
went
on
in
desultory
fashion
.
Ernest
and
Hadria
fell
apart
into
a
more
serious
talk
.
These
two
had
always
been
“
chums
,
”
from
the
time
when
they
used
to
play
at
building
houses
of
bricks
on
the
nursery
floor
.
There
was
deep
and
true
affection
between
them
.
The
day
broke
into
splendour
,
and
the
warm
rays
,
rounding
the
edge
of
the
eastward
rock
,
poured
straight
into
the
little
temple
.
Below
and
around
on
the
cliff-sides
,
the
rich
foliage
of
holly
and
dwarf
oak
,
ivy
,
and
rowan
with
its
burning
berries
,
was
transformed
into
a
mass
of
warm
colour
and
shining
surfaces
.
“
What
always
bewilders
me
,
”
Hadria
said
,
bending
over
the
balustrade
among
the
ivy
,
“
is
the
enormous
gulf
between
what
might
be
and
what
is
in
human
life
.
Look
at
the
world
—
life
's
most
sumptuous
stage
—
and
look
at
life
!
The
one
,
splendid
,
exquisite
,
varied
,
generous
,
rich
beyond
description
;
the
other
,
poor
,
thin
,
dull
,
monotonous
,
niggard
,
distressful
—
is
that
necessary
?
”
“
But
all
lives
are
not
like
that
,
”
objected
Fred
.
“
I
speak
only
from
my
own
narrow
experience
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
Oh
,
she
is
thinking
,
as
usual
,
of
that
unfortunate
Mrs.
Gordon
!
”
cried
Earnest
.
“
Of
her
,
and
the
rest
of
the
average
,
typical
sort
of
people
that
I
know
,
”
Hadria
admitted
.
“
I
wish
to
heaven
I
had
a
wider
knowledge
to
speak
from
.
”
“
If
one
is
to
believe
what
one
hears
and
reads
,
”
said
Algitha
,
“
a
life
must
be
full
of
sorrow
indeed
.
”
“
But
putting
aside
the
big
sorrows
,
”
said
her
sister
,
“
the
ordinary
every
day
existence
that
would
be
called
prosperous
,
seems
to
me
to
be
dull
and
stupid
to
a
tragic
extent
.
”
“
The
Gordons
of
Drumgarran
once
more
!
I
confess
I
ca
n't
see
anything
particularly
tragic
there
,
”
observed
Fred
,
whose
memory
recalled
troops
of
stalwart
young
persons
in
flannels
,
engaged
for
hours
,
in
sending
a
ball
from
one
side
of
a
net
to
the
other
.
“
It
is
more
than
tragic
;
it
is
disgusting
!
”
cried
Hadria
with
a
shiver
.
Algitha
drew
herself
together
.
She
turned
to
her
eldest
brother
.
“
Look
here
,
Ernest
;
you
said
just
now
that
girls
were
shielded
from
the
realities
of
life
.
Yet
Mrs.
Gordon
was
handed
over
by
her
protectors
,
when
she
was
little
more
than
a
school-girl
,
without
knowledge
,
without
any
sort
of
resource
or
power
of
facing
destiny
,
to
—
well
,
to
the
hateful
realities
of
the
life
that
she
has
led
now
for
over
twenty
years
.
There
is
nothing
to
win
general
sympathy
in
this
case
,
for
Mr.
Gordon
is
good
and
kind
;
but
oh
,
think
of
the
existence
that
a
‘protected
,
’
carefully
brought-up
girl
may
be
launched
into
;
before
she
knows
what
she
is
pledged
to
,
or
what
her
ideas
of
life
may
be
!
If
that
is
what
you
call
protection
,
for
heaven
's
sake
let
us
remain
defenceless
.
”
Fred
and
Ernest
accused
their
elder
sister
of
having
been
converted
by
Hadria
.
Algitha
,
honest
and
courageous
in
big
things
and
in
small
,
at
once
acknowledged
the
source
of
her
ideas
.
Not
so
long
ago
,
Algitha
had
differed
from
the
daughters
of
the
neighbouring
houses
,
rather
in
force
of
character
than
in
sentiment
.
She
had
followed
the
usual
aims
with
unusual
success
,
giving
unalloyed
satisfaction
to
her
proud
mother
.
Algitha
had
taken
it
as
a
matter
of
course
that
she
would
some
day
marry
,
and
have
a
house
of
her
own
to
reign
in
.
A
home
,
not
a
husband
,
was
the
important
matter
,
and
Algitha
had
trusted
to
her
attractions
to
make
a
good
marriage
;
that
is
,
to
obtain
extensive
regions
for
her
activities
.
She
craved
a
roomy
stage
for
her
drama
,
and
obviously
there
was
only
one
method
of
obtaining
it
,
and
even
that
method
was
but
dubious
.
But
Hadria
had
undermined
this
matter
of
fact
,
take-things-as-you-find-them
view
,
and
set
her
sister
's
pride
on
the
track
.
That
master-passion
once
aroused
in
the
new
direction
,
Algitha
was
ready
to
defend
her
dignity
as
a
woman
,
and
as
a
human
being
,
to
the
death
.
Hadria
felt
as
a
magician
might
feel
,
who
has
conjured
up
spirits
henceforth
beyond
his
control
;
for
obviously
,
her
sister
's
whole
life
would
be
altered
by
this
change
of
sentiment
,
and
,
alas
,
her
mother
's
hopes
must
be
disappointed
.
The
laird
of
Clarenoc
—
a
fine
property
,
of
which
Algitha
might
have
been
mistress
—
had
received
polite
discouragement
,
much
to
his
surprise
and
that
of
the
neighbourhood
.
Even
Ernest
,
who
was
by
no
means
worldly
,
questioned
the
wisdom
of
his
sister
's
decision
;
for
the
laird
of
Clarenoc
was
a
good
fellow
,
and
after
all
,
let
them
talk
as
they
liked
,
what
was
to
become
of
a
girl
unless
she
married
?
This
morning
's
conversation
therefore
touched
closely
on
burning
topics
.
“
Mrs.
Gordon
's
people
meant
it
for
the
best
,
I
suppose
,
”
Ernest
observed
,
“
when
they
married
her
to
a
good
man
with
a
fine
property
.
”
“
That
is
just
the
ghastly
part
of
it
!
”
cried
Hadria
;
“
from
ferocious
enemies
a
girl
might
defend
herself
,
but
what
is
she
to
do
against
the
united
efforts
of
devoted
friends
?
”
“
I
do
n't
suppose
Mrs.
Gordon
is
aware
that
she
is
so
ill-used
!
”
“
Another
gruesome
circumstance
!
”
cried
Hadria
,
with
a
half
laugh
;
“
for
that
only
proves
that
her
life
has
dulled
her
self-respect
,
and
destroyed
her
pride
.
”
“
But
,
my
dear
,
every
woman
is
in
the
same
predicament
,
if
predicament
it
be
!
”
“
What
a
consolation
!
”
Hadria
exclaimed
,
“
all
the
foxes
have
lost
their
tails
!
”
“
It
may
be
illogical
,
but
people
generally
are
immensely
comforted
by
that
circumstance
.
”
The
conversation
waxed
warmer
and
more
personal
.
Fred
took
a
conservative
view
of
the
question
.
He
thought
that
there
were
instincts
implanted
by
Nature
,
which
inspired
Mrs.
Gordon
with
a
yearning
for
exactly
the
sort
of
existence
that
fate
had
assigned
to
her
.
Algitha
,
who
had
been
the
recipient
of
that
lady
's
tragic
confidences
,
broke
into
a
shout
of
laughter
.
“
Well
,
Harold
Wilkins
says
—
”
This
name
was
also
greeted
with
a
yell
of
derision
.
“
I
do
n't
see
why
you
girls
always
scoff
so
at
Harold
Wilkins
,
”
said
Fred
,
slightly
aggrieved
,
“
he
is
generally
thought
a
lot
of
by
girls
.
All
Mrs.
Gordon
's
sisters
adore
him
.
”
“
He
needs
no
further
worshippers
,
”
said
Hadria
.
Fred
was
asked
to
repeat
the
words
of
Harold
Wilkins
,
but
to
soften
them
down
if
too
severe
.
“
He
laughs
at
your
pet
ideas
,
”
said
Fred
ruthlessly
.
“
Break
it
gently
,
Fred
,
gently
.
”
“
He
thinks
that
a
true
woman
esteems
it
her
highest
privilege
to
—
well
,
to
be
like
Mrs.
Gordon
.
”
“
Wise
and
learned
youth
!
”
cried
Hadria
,
resting
her
chin
on
her
hand
,
and
peering
up
into
the
blue
sky
,
above
the
temple
.
“
Fool
!
”
exclaimed
Algitha
.
“
He
says
,
”
continued
Fred
,
determined
not
to
spare
those
who
were
so
overbearing
in
their
scorn
,
“
he
says
that
girls
who
have
ideas
like
yours
will
never
get
any
fellow
to
marry
them
.
”
Laughter
loud
and
long
greeted
this
announcement
.
“
Laughter
,
”
observed
Fred
,
when
he
could
make
himself
heard
,
“
is
among
the
simplest
forms
of
argument
.
Does
this
merry
outburst
imply
that
you
do
n't
care
a
button
whether
you
are
able
to
get
some
one
to
marry
you
or
not
?
”
“
It
does
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
Well
,
so
I
said
to
Wilkins
,
as
a
matter
of
fact
,
with
my
nose
in
the
air
,
on
your
behalf
,
and
Wilkins
replied
,
‘Oh
,
it
's
all
very
well
while
girls
are
young
and
good-looking
to
be
so
high
and
mighty
,
but
some
day
,
when
they
are
left
out
in
the
cold
,
and
all
their
friends
married
,
they
may
sing
a
different
tune.’
Feeling
there
was
something
in
this
remark
,
”
Fred
continued
,
“
I
raised
my
nose
two
inches
higher
,
and
adopted
the
argument
that
I
also
resort
to
in
extremis
.
I
laughed
.
‘Well
,
my
dear
fellow
,
’
Wilkins
observed
calmly
,
‘I
mean
no
offence
,
but
what
on
earth
is
a
girl
to
do
with
herself
if
she
does
n't
marry
?
’
”
“
What
did
you
reply
?
”
asked
Ernest
with
curiosity
.
“
Oh
,
I
said
that
was
an
unimportant
detail
,
and
changed
the
subject
.
”
Algitha
was
still
scornful
,
but
Hadria
looked
meditative
.
“
Harold
Wilkins
has
a
practical
mind
,
”
she
observed
.
“
After
all
,
he
is
right
,
when
you
come
to
consider
it
.
”
“
Hadria
!
”
remonstrated
her
sister
,
in
dismay
.
“
We
may
as
well
be
candid
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
There
is
uncommonly
little
that
a
girl
can
do
(
or
rather
that
people
will
let
her
do
)
unless
she
marries
,
and
that
is
why
she
so
often
does
marry
as
a
mere
matter
of
business
.
But
I
wish
Harold
Wilkins
would
remember
that
fact
,
instead
of
insisting
that
it
is
our
inherent
and
particular
nature
that
urges
us
,
one
and
all
,
to
the
career
of
Mrs.
Gordon
.
”
Algitha
was
obviously
growing
more
and
more
ruffled
.
Fred
tried
in
vain
to
soothe
her
feelings
.
He
joked
,
but
she
refused
to
see
the
point
.
She
would
not
admit
that
Harold
Wilkins
had
facts
on
his
side
.
“
If
one
simply
made
up
one
's
mind
to
walk
through
all
the
hampering
circumstances
,
who
or
what
could
stop
one
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Algitha
has
evidently
got
some
desperate
plan
in
her
head
for
making
mincemeat
of
circumstances
,
”
cried
Fred
,
little
guessing
that
he
had
stated
the
exact
truth
.
“
Do
you
remember
that
Mrs.
Gordon
herself
waged
a
losing
battle
in
early
days
,
incredible
as
it
may
appear
?
”
asked
Hadria
.
Algitha
nodded
slowly
,
her
eyes
fixed
on
the
ground
.
“
She
did
not
originally
set
out
with
the
idea
of
being
a
sort
of
amiable
cow
.
She
once
aspired
to
be
quite
human
;
she
really
did
,
poor
thing
!
”
“
Then
why
did
n't
she
do
it
?
”
asked
Algitha
contemptuously
.
“
Instead
of
doing
a
thing
,
she
had
to
be
perpetually
struggling
for
the
chance
to
do
it
,
which
she
never
achieved
,
and
so
she
was
submerged
.
That
seems
to
be
the
fatality
in
a
woman
's
life
.
”
“
Well
,
there
is
one
thing
I
am
very
sure
of
,
”
announced
Algitha
,
leaning
majestically
against
a
column
of
the
temple
,
and
looking
like
a
beautiful
Greek
maiden
,
in
her
simple
gown
,
“
I
do
not
intend
to
be
a
cow
.
I
do
not
mean
to
fight
a
losing
battle
.
I
will
not
wait
at
home
meekly
,
till
some
fool
holds
out
his
sceptre
to
me
.
”
All
eyes
turned
to
her
,
in
astonishment
.
“
But
what
are
you
going
to
do
?
”
asked
a
chorus
of
voices
.
Hadria
's
was
not
among
them
,
for
she
knew
what
was
coming
.
The
debate
of
last
night
,
and
this
morning
's
discussion
,
had
evidently
brought
to
a
climax
a
project
that
Algitha
had
long
had
in
her
mind
,
but
had
hesitated
to
carry
out
,
on
account
of
the
distress
that
it
would
cause
to
her
mother
.
Algitha
's
eyes
glittered
,
and
her
colour
rose
.
“
I
am
not
going
to
be
hawked
about
the
county
till
I
am
disposed
of
.
It
does
not
console
me
in
the
least
,
that
all
the
foxes
are
without
tails
,
”
she
went
on
,
taking
short
cuts
to
her
meaning
,
in
her
excitement
.
“
I
am
going
to
London
with
Mrs.
Trevelyan
,
to
help
her
in
her
work
.
”
“
By
Jove
!
”
exclaimed
Fred
.
Ernest
whistled
.
Austin
stared
,
with
open
mouth
.
Having
recovered
from
the
first
shock
of
surprise
,
the
family
plied
their
sister
with
questions
.
She
said
that
she
had
long
been
thinking
of
accepting
the
post
offered
her
by
Mrs.
Trevelyan
last
year
,
and
now
she
was
resolved
.
The
work
was
really
wise
,
useful
work
among
the
poor
,
which
Algitha
felt
she
could
do
well
.
At
home
,
there
was
nothing
that
she
did
that
the
housekeeper
could
not
do
better
.
She
felt
herself
fretting
and
growing
irritable
,
for
mere
want
of
some
active
employment
.
This
was
utterly
absurd
,
in
an
overworked
world
.
Hadria
had
her
music
and
her
study
,
at
any
rate
,
but
Algitha
had
nothing
that
seemed
worth
doing
;
she
did
not
care
to
paint
indifferently
on
china
;
she
was
a
mere
encumbrance
—
a
destroyer
as
Hadria
put
it
—
while
there
was
so
much
,
so
very
much
,
that
waited
to
be
done
.
The
younger
sister
made
no
comment
.
“
Next
time
I
meet
Harold
Wilkins
,
”
said
Fred
,
drawing
a
long
breath
,
“
I
will
tell
him
that
if
a
girl
does
not
marry
,
she
can
devote
herself
to
the
poor
.
”
“
Or
that
she
can
remain
to
be
the
family
consolation
,
eh
,
Hadria
?
By
Jove
,
what
a
row
there
will
be
!
”
The
notion
of
Hadria
in
the
capacity
of
the
family
consolation
,
created
a
shout
of
laughter
.
It
had
always
been
her
function
to
upset
foregone
conclusions
,
overturn
orthodox
views
,
and
generally
disturb
the
conformity
of
the
family
attitude
.
Now
the
sedate
and
established
qualities
would
be
expected
of
her
.
Hadria
must
be
the
stay
and
hope
of
the
house
!
Fred
continued
to
chuckle
,
at
intervals
,
over
the
idea
.
“
It
does
seem
to
indicate
rather
a
broken-down
family
!
”
said
Ernest
.
“
I
wish
one
of
you
boys
would
undertake
the
position
instead
of
laughing
at
me
,
”
exclaimed
Hadria
in
mock
resentment
.
“
I
wish
you
would
go
to
eternal
tennis-parties
,
and
pay
calls
,
and
bills
,
and
write
notes
,
and
do
little
useless
necessary
things
,
more
or
less
all
day
.
I
wish
you
had
before
you
the
choice
between
that
existence
and
the
career
of
Mrs.
Gordon
,
with
the
sole
chance
of
escape
from
either
fate
,
in
ruthlessly
trampling
upon
the
bleeding
hearts
of
two
beloved
parents
!
”
“
Thank
you
kindly
,
”
said
Fred
,
“
but
we
infinitely
prefer
to
laugh
at
you
.
”
“
Man
's
eternal
reply
to
woman
,
admirably
paraphrased
!
”
commented
Hadria
.
Everyone
was
anxious
to
know
when
Algitha
intended
to
go
to
London
.
Nobody
doubted
for
a
moment
that
she
would
hold
to
her
purpose
;
as
Fred
said
,
she
was
so
