Anne Constance Smedley

“ I have a deep and temperate affection for Charles, and I should like him to have a rather deeper, perhaps, and not quite so temperate affection for me; but a friendly affection is the only sort of affection that can give either of us happiness. If Charles be so stupid that he cannot see any further than his own selfish desires of the moment, I can't help it, any more than I can help having a clever brain——"
"Which should tell you that the desires of men and women cannot be arranged to fit each other like a Chinese puzzle," said Wisdom, scathingly. ”

“ But why should I be blamed for showing Charles I took pleasure in seeing him? Charles has had attentions from heaps of women, and he didn't fall in love with them."
"But when you saw that Charles was in danger of falling in love with you, you should have suppressed him quickly," said Wisdom. "You could have done so, Anne; you are rather clever at suppressing people. No! You enjoyed the excitement, and you didn't think how seriously it might end for Charles." ”

“ There's the bare chance that he may remain in love with you, and you only."
"Too risky," said Anne, "my nature's so uncertain; it needs a truly strong man to keep on liking me. You see, he would have to keep liking me in spite of myself, and if he had to do it in spite of himself as well, I would not take odds on his success."
"And even if Cosmo did remain faithful," said Wisdom, reflectively, " he would feel he deserved a pedestal. For what is simple duty in an ordinary man becomes a shining virtue in a fascinating actor." ”

“ V.—Maisie Price "SHE is making my whole life miserable!" said Anne, and she buried her face in the punt cushions, and wept profusely into them.
"It is a perfectly heavenly day, and the punt is in the prettiest, shadiest spot on the river. For goodness sake, sit up, and stop making a sillybilly silly of yourself!" ”

“ It isn't my place to look after him. He's a free, experienced man of the world. I don't see why I should be burdened with all the responsibility of our friendship."
"Friendship between the sexes is never stationary," said Wisdom. "It advances."
"If you call it advancing," said Anne, "when an intimacy reaches the pitch where all the civilities and kindnesses of human intercourse terminate, I call that state, degeneration! At one time Charles did his best to amuse me at a party, and give me a good time. ”

“ We do not penetrate brains like theirs. We skim round them so dazzlingly, that they can only open their mouths and blink their eyes, and feel vaguely that we're shocking!"
"Which is a pity," said Wisdom. "As from the day you marry Reginald, his sisters will constitute themselves counsel for the prosecution of Reginald's happiness. So if you cannot make your defence penetrate their understanding——"
"Defence!" said Anne. "Does anyone think I would allow Reginald's sisters to criticise my actions!" ”

“ Why shouldn't I brighten up a married man's? Most girls are too selfish."
"It's his wife's place to brighten up his life," said Wisdom.
"It's his wife's place to be restful, domestic, and comforting," said Anne. "A man must go outside and have a breath of air occasionally, to make him appreciate his home."
"If you married, should you like your husband to find another woman more attractive than you, even for a single moment?" said Wisdom.
"I'm not so silly as to imagine I could go on flirting with a man I married," said Anne. "Flirting is the evanescent scintillation of attractiveness ”

“ He is thinking of himself the whole time, and the fact that he is worrying me dreadfully does not matter a brass farthing to him."
"Why did you show Charles that you liked him?" said Wisdom, who had a tiresome trick of repetition.
"I could not imagine that even Charles would be so stupid as to imagine a girl ever shows a man she cares for him when there is the barest possibility she may fall in love with him," said Anne, very scornful indeed. "The simple and outspoken affection I show to men is genuine friendliness, and that is all. ”

“ The attentions men pay to women are due far less to their attractiveness than to circumstance. For instance, while you were the most charming girl at hand, Arthur——"
"I never thought for one moment that Arthur was seriously in love," said Anne, with slightly flushed cheeks. "I should not have been half so happy and amused if he had been. You know I hate men to be seriously in love, they are so silly."
"Then what on earth have you been crying your eyes out for?" said Wisdom.
"I hate Maisie Price none the less, because I don't care twopence about Arthur," said Anne, viciously. ”

“ What is it you are marrying Reginald for? Rest, isn't it?"
"Really," said Anne "you leave no way out of anything. If I find a man who is a brute at home, the inference is plain, he will illtreat his wife; and if I find someone who is good to his people, you point out, he will continue being good to them, so that again the wife must suffer. I think the only possible way of finding anything that will meet your requirements, will be to advertise for someone of foundling extraction, who has never had a home nor people!"
"You would only exchange knowledge for uncertainty," said Wisdom. ”

“ He has letters every day from absolutely unknown girls!"
"And incense isn't exactly a healthy atmosphere to live in, is it?" said Wisdom. "Rather enervating, eh?"
"Cosmo loves me because I don't burn incense, like the others," said Anne, proudly. "He finds it a refreshing change to have to bow down before me!"
"The refreshment of change lies in its novelty," said Wisdom. "I'm afraid it would appear foolish to any man to maintain a kneeling position for ever, when there are a hundred soft-cushioned thrones waiting his pleasure. A kneeling position is rather tiring, you know." ”

“ Gregson doesn't," said Wisdom. "That's why you like him, you know—because he takes life seriously."
"It's so interesting to know a man who puts being good before being clever or amusing himself or even making money," said Anne, reflectively. "I've never looked up to any man before. I'm quite serious in my respect for Mr. Gregson!" ”

“ A man does not want to be continually puzzled and annoyed and made a fool of at home. He wants to love his wife in a selfish, lazy way and be quiet. Flirting doesn't in the least interfere with the domestic affection he bears to his wife."
"It makes the wife very jealous and unhappy," said Wisdom.
"Then she's an hysterical idiot," said Anne. "Married women have no poise. A man isn't jealous of his wife's attachés if he's certain he's far away first."
"A woman is never content to be first. She must be the only one," said Wisdom.
"I don't want to be the only one to Mr. Vane," said Anne ”

“ You will accept Cosmo's little peccadillos and migrations as inevitable, and your wedded life will degenerate into one of, to all intents and purposes, mutual separation. Your existence may be fairly placid, but you will have lost the joy of life, Anne. ”

“ But whatever a man was, he couldn't make me so used to the idea of wickedness that I could find comforting oblivion in it. That way of misery is shut off from me with an iron gate of natural instinct. ”

“ It's so unfair!"
"You may be stronger than Charles," said Wisdom, "and better able to conceal your emotion; for that very reason you should have pity for the weak!"
"I've tried to let down Charles gently, and he won't take any hints," said Anne. "I'm very sorry, but I can never pity people who sit down and howl when they can't get what they want. If Charles had shown an ounce of pluck, it would have been different. ”

“ If Reginald worships his Penates Lares, I think the position of household goddess will be a very enjoyable one, for Reginald's devotion is not of an ephemeral nature; once given, it is given for ever. ”

“ I shouldn't be surprised if she wouldn't teach you that perfectly ravishing way in which she does her hair, and she might give you the address of her dressmaker, with a little tact and persuasion. And even when you hated her, you couldn't help laughing at the quaint things she says. ”

“ But you have fallen into a habit of experimenting consciously, for the pleasure of experimenting, and you must consider that other people may not be able to manage their emotions as successfully and easily as you do. ”