“Because I know that a marriage between those two would end in misery.”
Valeria spoke very seriously to Hadria on the subject of marriage, urging the importance of it, and the wretchedness of growing old in solitude.
“Better even that, than to grow old in uncongenial company,” said Hadria.
Valeria shrugged her shoulders. “One could go away when it became oppressive,” she suggested, at which Hadria laughed.
“What an ideal existence!”
“Are you still dreaming of an ideal existence?”
“Why not?”
“Well, dream while you may,” said Miss Du Prel. “My time of dreaming was the happiest of all.”
On one occasion, when Hadria and the Professor went to call at Craw Gill, they found Miss Du Prel in the gloomiest of moods. Affection, love?—the very blood and bones of tragedy. Solitude, indifference?—its heart. And if for men the world was a delusion, for women it was a torture-chamber. Nature was dead against them.
“Why do you say that?” asked Hadria.