"I suppose she did not care," said Mrs. Carpenter mechanically, like a person who is not giving much thought to her answers.
"Then she must be very rich indeed. I suppose, mother, her train would make you a whole nice dress."
"Hardly so much of it as that," said Mrs. Carpenter.
"No, no; I mean the cost of it. Mother, I wonder if it is right, for that woman to trail so much silk on the ground, and you not to be able to get yourself one good dress?"
"It makes no difference in my finances, whether she trails it or not."
"No, but it ought."
"How should it?"
Rotha worked awhile at this problem in silence.
"Mother, if nobody used what he didn't want, don't you think there would be enough for the people who do want? You know what I mean?"
"I know what you mean. But how should the surplus get to the people who want it?"