CHAPTER IV.

ddlingkind,suchasmostgirlswerecontentedwith,shefeltquietly,unargumentativelysure.Butherthoughtsneverdweltonmarriageasthefulfillmentofherambitionthedramasinwhichsheimaginedherselfaheroinewerenotwroughtuptothatclose.Tobeverymuchsuedorhopelesslysighedforasabridewasindeedanindispensableandagreeableguaranteeofwomanlypowerbuttobecomeawifeandwearallthedomesticfettersofthatcondition,wasonthewholeavexatiousnecessity.Herobservationofmatrimonyhadinclinedhertothinkitratheradrearystateinwhichawomancouldnotdowhatsheliked,hadmorechildrenthanweredesirable,wasconsequentlydull,andbecameirrevocablyimmersedinhumdrum.Ofcoursemarriagewassocialpromotionshecouldnotlookforwardtoasinglelifebutpromotionshavesometimestobetakenwithbitterherbs—apeeragewillnotquitedoinsteadofleadershiptothemanwhomeanttoleadandthisdelicate-limbedsylphoftwentymeanttolead.Forsuchpassionsdwellinfemininebreastsalso.InGwendolen’s,however,theydweltamongstrictlyfemininefurniture,andhadnodisturbingreferencetotheadvancementoflearningorthebalanceoftheconstitutionherknowledgebeingsuchaswithnosortofstanding-roomorlengthoflevercouldhavebeenexpectedtomovetheworld.Shemeanttodowhatwaspleasanttoherselfinastrikingmannerorrather,whatevershecoulddosoastostrikeotherswithadmirationandgetinthatreflectedwayamoreardentsenseofliving,seemedpleasanttoherfancy. “Gwendolenwillnotrestwithouthavingtheworldatherfeet,”saidMissMerry,themeekgoverness:hyperbolicalwordswhichhavelongcometocarrythemostmoderatemeaningsforwhohasnotheardofprivatepersonshavingtheworldattheirfeetintheshapeofsomehalf-dozenitemsofflatteringregardgenerallyknowninagenteelsuburb?Andwordscouldhardlybetoowideorvaguetoindicatetheprospectthatmadeahazylargenessaboutpo