lwaysfindmesobusyabout,andwhichsupplymewiththemeansofdoingalittlegoodtooneortwoverypoorfamiliesinthisneighbourhood.Shehadalargeacquaintance,ofcourseprofessionally,amongthosewhocanaffordtobuy,andshedisposesofmymerchandise.Shealwaystakestherighttimeforapplying.Everybody’sheartisopen,youknow,whentheyhaverecentlyescapedfromseverepain,orarerecoveringtheblessingofhealth,andNurseRookethoroughlyunderstandswhentospeak.Sheisashrewd,intelligent,sensiblewoman.Hersisalineforseeinghumannatureandshehasafundofgoodsenseandobservation,which,asacompanion,makeherinfinitelysuperiortothousandsofthosewhohavingonlyreceived‘thebesteducationintheworld,’knownothingworthattendingto.Callitgossip,ifyouwill,butwhenNurseRookehashalfanhour’sleisuretobestowonme,sheissuretohavesomethingtorelatethatisentertainingandprofitable:somethingthatmakesoneknowone’sspeciesbetter.Onelikestohearwhatisgoingon,tobeaufaitastothenewestmodesofbeingtriflingandsilly.Tome,wholivesomuchalone,herconversation,Iassureyou,isatreat.”
Anne,farfromwishingtocavilatthepleasure,replied,“Icaneasilybelieveit.Womenofthatclasshavegreatopportunities,andiftheyareintelligentmaybewellworthlisteningto.Suchvarietiesofhumannatureastheyareinthehabitofwitnessing!Anditisnotmerelyinitsfollies,thattheyarewellreadfortheyseeitoccasionallyundereverycircumstancethatcanbemostinterestingoraffecting.Whatinstancesmustpassbeforethemofardent,disinterested,self-denyingattachment,ofheroism,fortitude,patience,resignation:ofalltheconflictsandallthesacrificesthatennobleusmost.Asickchambermayoftenfurnishtheworthofvolumes.”
“Yes,”saidMrsSmithmoredoubtingly,“sometimesitmay,thoughIfearitslessonsarenotoftenintheelevatedstyleyoudescribe.Hereandthere,humannaturemaybegreatintimesoftrialbutgenerallyspeaking,itisitsweaknessandnotitsstrengththatappearsinasickchamber:itisse