“I have already told you my motives; there never were two sisters more unlike.”
“Edith has all the prudence and kindliness which befits a good wife, and therefore deserves to be well mated.”
“She does not seem to think of such a thing as marriage, and I am truly glad she is so indifferent about it, indeed I almost believe that Edith is destined to be an old maid.”
“It needs no great prophetic skill to predict that, if you keep her forever in the back-ground.”
“I am sure I do no such thing,” said Mrs. Pemberton, warmly.
“I don’t pretend to know much about these matters but I have noticed that when the girls are invited to a party it is generally Edith who is left at home.”
“It is not my fault, Mr. Pemberton, if she takes no pleasure in gay society.”
“Are you certain she always stays at home from choice?”
“I dare say she does, at least she is never controlled by me.”
“But you know as well as I do, that the slightest expression of a wish is sufficient to influence her. The truth is, Edith has made herself so useful in the family that we all depend upon her for a large portion of our comforts, and are too apt to forget that she often sacrifices her own. Do you suppose that she actually preferred staying at home to nurse little Margaret, the other night, to going to Mrs. Moore’s grand ball?”