“How young you are!” she said. “Years and years younger than I feel. I can't realize you are married and have three step-children.”
“Neither can I,” said Miss Lady. “I'm always forgetting it. Wouldn't you like to sit up for a while?”
“Oh! I can't. I have to lie perfectly quiet.”
“Who said so?”
“Everybody does who has nervous prostration. The doctors say that my nerves are nothing but quivering wires. I suppose I went too hard last winter, but of course I couldn't drop out in the middle of my first season.”
“I don't believe it would hurt you a bit to sit up. If I fix that big rocker will you try it?”
“But I haven't sat up for six weeks. When I try it in bed I have such tingly sensations.”
“That's because your legs are straight out. Let's try it in the chair, with them hanging down.”
“I'll try it, but I know I can't stand it. There! Thank you so much! You wouldn't think that a year ago I was as strong as you are! Why, between October and March I went to over a hundred and fifty entertainments, besides the theaters and opera.”
“Good heavens!” cried Miss Lady aghast.