"If the way lay over the bottomless pit, I should go."
"And you can't get free, if you want to?"
"No!"
"Ray, I could easily raise money enough upon my farm to buy"—
"If you talk so," said Ray, whipping off the flowers, but looking up at her as he bent, and smiling, "I shall inform against you, and have your farm confiscated."
"What! I can't talk as I please in a free country? Oh, it's not free, then! They've discovered at length that there's something better than freedom. They sent a woman to prison this spring for eating an orange in the street. They confiscated a girl's wedding-gown the other day, and now they've confiscated her bridegroom. Oh, it's a great cause that can't get along without my wedding-gown! Noblesse oblige!"
"It takes more wedding-gowns than yours, Vivia. Dips them in mourning."
"Pray God it won't take mine yet!" cried she, with sudden fire.
"Vivia," said Ray, facing her, "I asked you a question. Why didn't you answer it? Shouldn't you care?"
"You know, dear child, I should,—we all should, terribly."