“Nobody has ever taught them to think of one another; on the contrary, they have always been trained to think of men, and of Heaven, and their souls. That training accounts for their attitude towards their own sex.”
“I suppose so. A spirit of sisterhood among women would have sadly upset the social scheme, as it has been hitherto conceived. Indeed the social scheme has made such a spirit well-nigh impossible.”
“A conquering race, if it is wise, governs its subjects largely through their internecine squabbles and jealousies. But what if they combine——?”
“Ah!” Hadria drew a deep sigh. “I wish the moment of sisterhood were a little nearer.”
“Heaven hasten it!” cried Algitha.
“Perhaps it is nearer than we imagine. Women are quick learners, when they begin. But, oh, it is hard sometimes to make them begin. They are so annoyingly abject; so painfully diffident. It is their pride to be humble. The virtuous worm won’t even turn!”
“Poor worm! It sometimes permits itself the relief of verbal expression!” observed Algitha.
Hadria laughed. “There are smiling, villainous worms, who deny themselves even that!”
After a long silence, Algitha taking the poker in her hand and altering the position of some of the coals, asked what Hadria meant to do in the future; how she was going to “turn,” if that was her intention.
“Oh, I cannot even turn!” replied Hadria. “Necessity knows no law. The one thing I won’t do, is to be virtuously resigned. And I won’t ‘make the best of it.’”