She had certainly been led into no toleration of
moral laxity, and indeed the effect of her husband's cynical Paganism
had been to make her dread more acutely any infringement upon moral
laws. She had been constantly learning, however, the enjoyment and
appreciation of beauty, not merely in a conventional and Philistine
sense, but as a pure Pagan aestheticism. The change showed itself
chiefly in her increased tolerance of views less rigid than her own,
which made possible the perfecting of the intimacy with Helen, which
had begun simply from her sense of pity for the sadness of the other's
life.
"Isn't it charming," Edith said to-night, as the three sat before the
fire after Arthur had gone out, "to see Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard together.
It's not only that they are so fond of each other, but they are so
perfectly in accord. It seems to me an ideal marriage."
Helen looked at her with an inward sigh.
"It is much the fashion, nowadays," she said, "to insist that the ideal
marriage is no marriage at all."
Mr. Candish looked at her inquiringly.
"Or, in other words," she explained, with a passing thought of his want
of quickness of apprehension, "that no marriage can be ideal."
"Or anything else, for that matter," put in Edith quickly. "The
iconoclasts of this generation will spare absolutely nothing."
"These objectors don't take into account," observed Mr.
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