Pect an ideal in practice that one despises in theory. We are bound, she
asserted, to produce that which is most individual within us; to be
ourselves, and not a poor imitation of someone else; to dare even
apparent wrong-doing, rather than submit to live a life of devotion to
that which we cannot believe. Mrs. Walker suggested to her daughters
that they might go and have a look at the rose-garden, but the daughters
preferred to listen to the conversation. "In real life," said the
practical Algitha, "_Caterina_ would not have been able to follow her
idea so simply. Supposing she had had children and complicated
circumstances, what could she have done?" Miss Du Prel thought that a
compromise might have been made. "A compromise by which she could act
according to two opposite standards?" Valeria was impatient of
difficulties. It was not necessary that a woman should leave her home in
order to be true to her conscience. It was the best method in
_Caterina's_ case, but not in all. Miss Du Prel did not explain very
clearly what she meant. Women made too much of difficulties, she
thought. Somehow people _had_ managed to overcome obstacles. Look
at--and then followed a list of shining examples. "I believe you would
blame a modern woman who imitated them," said Mrs. Temperley. "These
women have the inestimable advantage of being dead." "Ah, yes," Lady
Engleton agreed, with a laugh, "we women may be anything we like--in the
last century." "The tides of a hundred years or so sweeping over one's
audacious deed, soften the raw edges. Then it is tolerated in the
landscape; indeed, it grows mossy and picturesque." Mrs. Temperley made
this comparison. "And then think how useful it becomes to prove that a
daring deed _can_ be done, given only the necessary stuff in brain and
heart." Mrs. Walker looked at Algitha in dismay. "One can throw it in
the teeth of one's contemporaries," added Algitha, "if they fail to
produce a dramatic climax of the same kind." "Only," said Mrs.
Temperley, "if they _do_ venture upon their own dreadful deed--the deed
demanded by their particular modern predicament--then we all shriek
vigorously." "Oh, we shriek less than we used to," said Lady Engleton.
"It is quite a relief to be able to retain one's respectabil
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