Mary made no answer at the time, but some days later—the weather had long been bad, and she had not been out—she said to Mrs. Dawes: "You may be right in believing that the life we have lived all these years has taken strong hold of me."
"Stronger than you have any idea of, child."
"But what would you have me do? I cannot leave here. Nor do I wish to."
"No. But you could have a change sometimes."
"How?"
"You know quite well what I mean, child. If you married Jörgen, he would live sometimes here with you, and you sometimes at Stockholm with him."
"A curious married life!"
"I don't believe you can combine the two things in any better way."
"Which two things?"
"What life demands of you and what you are accustomed to."