Part 5 (1/2)
Margaret shrugged her shoulders ”You know I detest chane and never drink it,” said she ”And I don't purpose to begin, even to oblige you”
”To obligeand quarreling”
Mada--the storry joy ”I've long since learned not to expect gratitude from you I can't understandto labor with you”
”That's very si you can't coard rimly at this shrewd analysis ”I want to see you race I want to save you frohter and of pity”
”You want to see me married to some man I dislike and should soon hate”
”I want to see you married,” retorted the old lady ”I can't be held responsible for your electing to hate whatever is good for you And I came to tell you that ed by the end of this season, I wash reat deal of money in the effort to establish you You are a miserable failure socially You attach only worthless men You drive away the serious men”
”Stupid, youfor wives Men who have sorandchild The only ht to take the time of an unmarried woman You either cannot, or will not, exert yourself to please You avoid young girls and young men You waste your life with people already settled You have taken on the full airs and speech of aa husband--and that is folly bordering on insanity You have discarded everything that ht sort of men--demand in maidenhood I repeat, you are a aret, staring dislass
”And I repeat,” continued the old lady, soh not less resolutely, ”this season ends it You must marry or I'll stop your allowance You'll have to look to your aws When I think of the thousands of dollars I've wasted on you--It's cheating--it's cheating! You have been stealing from me!”
Madam Bowker's tone was al threateningly
Margaret started up ”I warned you at the outset!” she cried ”I took nothing from you that you didn't force on me And nohen you'veto snatch it away!”
”Giving youit,” cried the old lady ”What is dress for? Pray why, do you iine, have I provided you with three and four dozen expensive dresses a year and hats and lingerie and everything in proportion? Just to gratify your vanity? No, indeed! To enable you to get a husband, one able to provide for you as befits your station And because I have been generous with you, because I have spared no expense in keeping you up to your station, in giving you opportunity, you turn on enerous, Grandaret, huances in which the old lady had indulged her--things quite unnecessary for show, the intimate luxuries that contribute only indirectly to show by aiding in giving the feeling and air of refinearet was especially fond; and her grandaret's proved her indeed a lady--and made it i, ”foolishly”--had beenthem Now, these luxuries were to be withdrawn, these paaret collapsed despairingly upon her table ”I wish to marry, Heaven knows!
Only--only--” She raised herself; her lip quivered--”Good God, Grandive e--everything of that kind Soe that longing after the end of this season,” said her grandmother ”You'll certainly hardly dare show yourself in Washi+ngton, where you have becoainst you! No girl appreciates refinement and luxury e incoence You know you must have a competent husband Yet you fritter away your opportunities A very short time, and you'll be a worn, faded old maid, and the settled people who profess to be so fond of you will be laughing at you, and deriding you, and pitying you”
Deriding! Pitying!
”I've no patience with the women of that clique you're so fond of,” the old lady went on ”If the ideas they profess--the shallow frauds that they are!--were to prevail, ould become of women of our station?
Woe ht to be sheltered and worshi+ped and showered with luxury As for you--a poor girl--countenancing such low and ruinous views--Is it strange I austed with you? Have you no pride--no self-respect?”
Margaret satinto vacancy She could not but endorse every word her grand She had heard practically those same words often, but they had had no effect; noard the end of this her least successful season, withand flaunting the luxury she ht sort”--”capable husbands”--rim and terrible axiorandmother sounded in her ears like the boo randaret?”
”To hustle,” said the girl with a short, bitter laugh ”I , these past two irl's face, gave a sigh of relief ”I feel greatly eased,” said she ”I see you are co to your senses before it's too late I knew you would You have inherited too aret faced the old woer ”If you had made allowances for that, if you had reasoned withto coed her shoulders ”But that's past and done I' to do my best Only--I warn you, don't try to drive me!
I'll not be driven!”