"Oh, I hope not. But it's not true; look at Ted."
"Ted's a man, and you are a woman. Ten to one, a really great passion improves a man's art: it plays the deuce with a woman's."
"I don't believe it!" said Katherine, with rather more warmth than the occasion demanded.
"Shall I tell you what you've been doing, Sis? First of all, you've tried to live two lives and get the best out of each. That was tempting Providence, as Mrs. Rogers would say. You found that wouldn't work, so you said to yourself, 'I give it up. Here goes; I'll be a woman at all costs. I'll know what it is to love.'"
Katherine took up her brushes again, and in spite of herself moved one foot impatiently. Hardy went on, well pleased with his own lucidity.
"And you gave up the only thing you really cared about, and played at being the slave of duty, the devoted sister."
She sighed (was it a sigh of relief?).
"You're wrong. I'm anything but a devoted sister."
"Yes, you're anything but a devoted sister. I'm going to claim one of the privileges of friendship—that of speaking unpleasant truths in the unpleasantest way possible."
"Go on. This is getting interesting."