XLI
I can't see," Hildred reasoned, "why you should find the idea so terrible."
"And I can't see," Tom returned, "what it matters how I find the idea, so long as nobody is serious about it."
"Oh, but they will be. It's what I told you before. They'd made up their minds they didn't want to find him; and now it's hard to unmake them again. But they're coming to it."
"I hope they're not taking the trouble on my account."
"They're taking it on their own. Tad as much as said so. He said they'd stuck it out as long as they could; but they couldn't stick it out forever."
"Stick it out against what?"
"Against what's staring them in the face, I suppose."