"No."
"She was with him this morning."
Ella made no answer; but there was a warmer place upon her cheek. No more was said upon the subject.
When Ella Hudson went home that afternoon, after having given the various lessons required of her for the day, she had some different thoughts in regard to what she ought to do, than had before obtained a place in her mind. It occurred to her, that the position in which she now stood to Dr. Baldwin, made it incumbent upon her to have some regard to his feelings, as well as to the prejudices of his family, with whom she was soon to come into intimate relationship, and with whom she could not but desire to be united in affection. The prejudice existing in certain grades of society against all females who are engaged in useful employments, she well knew; and as this was a prejudice arising from a false education, and as she was to be introduced by marriage among those with whom this prejudice existed, she rightly concluded, after looking at the subject in this light, that it was best for her, as no real necessity existed for her continuing her duties as a music teacher, to give them up at once. For Doctor Baldwin to meet her, as he had done that morning, could not, she felt, but be unpleasant to him. And for his sister to meet her in the same way, could not fail to strengthen, rather than remove, prejudices in regard to her.
Perhaps, for the first time in her life, Ella saw that the prejudices of others are, under certain circumstances, to be regarded, and that expediency is not always a departure from right.
When her lover called upon her that evening, he said—
"I mentioned you to my sister to-day. She was with me at Miss Elbert's."
Ella looked at him without replying.
"As I expected, she was greatly astonished. The idea of my marrying a music teacher, seemed at first dreadful to her. But I made some little impression on her false ideas, though not as much as I could wish. If she could only once meet you and know you, all would be right. But the force of prejudice is very strong at present. Do you not think that it would be right for you to make some effort, even some sacrifice, to remove this prejudice?"
"I do, certainly."