"Perhaps not; but that was where you and your circle came in. Just in the nick of time you moved her out of the one that was destroyed and planted her in another. Now, I haven't come to the end of mine."
"I thought you had."
"No; I'm not crippled and confined to bed. I can move, and have all the faculties for still enjoying life, but want of money and position prevents me from using them."
"Do you think it's a good thing to wait till utter ruin comes to you?"
"How comforting you are! I honestly want worldly wisdom from you, not pious talk."
"I'm not worldly wise, but I'll try to be. Live within your income, and make the best of your circumstances. Take up some other hobby that will take the place of the one in which you now cannot indulge."
"What dull and impossible counsel. As well tell a fish to live out of water and cultivate the air for his home."
"Exactly," said Rowena. "You've hit the nail on the head."
There was a little silence between them, then Di threw away the last bit of her cigarette, and stared gloomily down from the wall to the waters of the loch below.
"The centre of my circle is, of course, myself. I see that," she said. "Whom else should I revolve round but my dear precious self? It is so very disappointing if you revolve round another. I did that once, but never again."