Emily was putting on her hat. “No—not unsympathetic,” she replied. “Anything but that. Only—you are healthy and strong and capable, Theresa. Why should you sell yourself?”
“Oh, I know—you imagine you think it fine and dignified to work for one’s living. But in the bottom of your heart you know better. You know it is not refined and womanly—that it means that a woman has been beaten, has been unable to get a man to support her as a lady should be supported.”
Emily faced her and, as she put on her gloves, said in a simple, good-tempered way: “I admit that I’m conventional enough at times and discouraged enough at times to feel that it would be a temptation if some man—not too disagreeable—were to offer to take care of me for life. But I’m trying to outgrow it, trying to come up to a new ideal of self-respect. And I believe, Theresa, that the new ideal is better for us. Anyhow in the circumstances, it’s certainly wiser and—and safer.”
“What are you going to do about Marlowe?” Theresa thrust at her with deliberate suddenness and some malice.
Emily kept the colour out of her face, but her eyes betrayed to Theresa that the thrust had reached. “Well, what about Marlowe?” She decided to drop evasion and was at once free from embarrassment.
“He’ll not marry you. He isn’t a marrying man.”
“And why should he marry me? And why should I marry him? I have no wish to be tied. It was necessity that forced me to be free; but I know more certainly every day that it isn’t necessity that will keep me free. You see, Theresa. I don’t hate work, as you do. I feel that every one has to work anyhow, and I prefer to work for myself and be paid for it, rather than to be some man’s housekeeper and get my wages as if they were charity.”
“If I married, you may be sure I’d be no man’s housekeeper,” said Theresa, with a toss of the head.
“I was making the position as dignified as possible. Suppose you found after marriage that you didn’t care for your husband; or suppose you deliberately married for money. I should say that mere housekeeper would be enviable in comparison.”
“There’s a good deal of pretence about that, isn’t there, honestly?” Theresa was laughing disagreeably. “It’s a thoroughly womanish remark. But it’s a remark to make to a man, not when two women who understand woman-nature are talking quietly, with no man to overhear.”