"Keep herself alive by making weird cloths and impossible bracelets?"
Margaret laughed at Isabelle's philistine horror of the Goring household, and amused herself with suggesting more of the philosophy of the Intellectuals, the creed of Woman's Independence. She pointed out that Aline did not interfere with Goring's pursuit of his profession though it might not interest her or benefit her. Why should Goring interfere with Aline's endeavors to develop herself, to be something more than a mother and a nurse?
"She has kept something of her own soul,—that is it!"
"Her own soul!" mocked Isabelle. "If you were to take a meal with them, you would wish there was less soul, and more clean table napkins."
"My dear little bourgeoise," Margaret commented with amusement, "you must get a larger point of view. The housewife ideal is doomed. Women won't submit to it,—intelligent ones. And Goring probably likes Aline better as she is than he would any competent wife of the old sort."
"I don't believe any sane man likes to see his children dirty, and never know where to find a clean towel,—don't tell me!"
"Then men must change their characters," Margaret replied vaguely; "we women have been changing our characters for centuries to conform to men's desires. It's time that the men adjusted themselves to us."
"I wonder what John would say if I told him he must change his character," mused Isabelle.
"There is Cornelia Woodyard," Margaret continued; "she combines the two ideals—but she is very clever."
"We never thought so at St. Mary's."