She thought of the marriages
with which her destiny had been most intimately connected, her own ill-
starred mating, the union of Herman and Ninitta, that of Fenton and
Edith. She had long ago settled in her own mind that wedlock was not
only the mainstay of society, but that it was largely a concession to
the weakness of her sex; and yet instinctively she protested; that
revolt against being a woman which few of her sex have failed at one
time or another to experience taking the form of a revolt against
matrimony.
"Indeed," she broke out, half humorously and half pathetically, "the
most joyful promise for the Christians hereafter is that they shall
neither marry nor be given in marriage."
Mr. Candish looked a little shocked; but Edith said softly,--
"That is only possible when they become as the Sons of God."
Helen spread out her hands in a deprecatory gesture.
"Come, Edith," she said, "that isn't fair, to take the discussion into
regions where I can't follow you."
Edith smiled, but made no rejoinder in words. Turning to Mr. Candish
she remarked, with an abrupt change of subject,--
"When may I tell Melissa Blake about the Knitting School?"
"I see no reason," he answered, "why she shouldn't know at once. We
shall be ready to begin operations in a month at most, and ought to
know her decision."
"Isn't it capital?" Edith explained, turning toward Helen.
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