Part 11 (1/2)
”I don't aret
”His hands are like--like a coachman's,” said Lucia ”Whenever I look at them I think of Thomas”
”No, they're more like the parrot's--they're claws That's why I'ly hands?”
”Because they're ugly in just that way They're the hands of thehiaret patted her sister on the shoulder ”Cheer up, Lucia! I', , what et at any price”
”But he hasn't any money,” objected Lucia
”If he had, no doubt you'd find hi innocent”
”It does make a difference,” admitted Lucia ”You see, people have to have entlearet ”What's a little thing like self-respect beside ease and corand before luxury has lost her self-respect”
”Everybody that's nice ought to have money,” declared Lucia ”Then the world would be beautiful, full of love and romance, with everybody clean and well-dressed and never in a hurry”
But Margaret see eyes glooot et it,” replied Margaret tersely ”He's the man to trample and crowd and clutch, and ive hily ”Yes, I shall get what I want”--then soberly--”if I can get hiht to be”
”No, he oughtn't to be; but he will be”
”AYOU!” Lucia threw her arms round her sister's neck and dissolved in tears ”Oh, Rita, Rita!”
she sobbed ”You are the dearest, loveliest girl on earth I' it for yourself, at all I',” said Rita, as sitting un it for myself I'm fond, of luxury--of fine dresses and servants and all that Think of the thousands, ! No doubt, there's so, but I don't see just what If woman is made to lead a sheltered life, to be supported by a et theof, can she?”
”Isn't there any such thing as love?” Lucia ventured wistfully
”Marrying for love, IOUR sort of people, except by accident,” Margaret assured her ”TheWe don't say so We try not to think so We denounce as low and coarse anybody that does say so But it's the truth, just the saret it, but not so ins to pinch and to drag everything fine and beautiful down into the mud Besides, I don't love anybody--thank God! If I did, Lucia, I'e!”
”I'er to save all possible illusion about her sister Then, reht, I'm sure you'd not do it You MAY fall in love with hi Lucia on an iratitude
”Yes, I h life never doing anything I ought to do”
”He's really handsome, in that bold, cohed with genuine mirth ”How surprised he'd be,” she exclai on in my head!”
”He'll be on his knees to you,” pursued Lucia, wonderfully cheered up by her confidence in thewould work ”And he'll do whatever you say”