Harriet came out into the porch looking wonderfully fresh. "How do
you do, Anna?" she said with an accent of new cordiality,
established cordiality.
The accent struck Miss Anna's ear as the voice of the bouquet. She
had at once discovered also that Harriet was beautifully
dressed--even to the point of wearing her best gloves.
"Oh, good morning, Harriet," she replied, giving the yellow bowl an
unnecessary shake and speaking quite incidentally as though the
visit were not of the slightest consequence. She did not invite
Harriet to be seated. Harriet seated herself.
"Aren't you well, Anna?" she inquired with blank surprise.
"I am always well."
"Is any one ill, Anna?"
"Not to my knowledge."
Harriet knew Miss Anna to have the sweetest nature of all women.
She realized that she herself was often a care to her friend. A
certain impulse inspired her now to give assurance that she had not
come this morning to weigh her down with more troubles.
"Do you know, Anna, I never felt so well! Marguerite's ball really
brought me out. I have turned over a new leaf of destiny and I am
going out more after this. What right has a woman to give up life
so soon? I shall go out more, and I shall read more, and be a
different woman, and cease worrying you. Aren't women reading
history now? But then they are doing everything. Still that is
no reason why I should not read a little, because my mind is really
a blank on the subject of the antiquities.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210