owsthatfemininecriticismandfeminineinsightandfeminineprejudicewillnevercomebetweenyou?ThoughyoubecomeasDavidandJonathan,youneedneverenterhishome,norheyours.Allyourlivesyouwillmeetundertheopenair,theonlyroof-treeoftheSouth,underwhichhewillspitandswear,andyouwilldropyourh’s,andnobodywillthinktheworseofeither.
Meanwhilethewomen—theyhave,ofcourse,theirhouseandtheirchurch,withitsadmirableandfrequentservices,towhichtheyareescortedbythemaid.Otherwisetheydonotgooutmuch,foritisnotgenteeltowalk,andyouaretoopoortokeepacarriage.Occasionallyyouwilltakethemtothecaffeortheatre,andimmediatelyallyourwontedacquaintancetheredesertyou,exceptthosefewwhoareexpectingandexpectedtomarryintoyourfamily.Itisallverysad.Butoneconsolationemerges—lifeisverypleasantinItalyifyouareaman.
HithertoGinohadnotinterferedwithLilia.Shewassomucholderthanhewas,andsomuchricher,thatheregardedherasasuperiorbeingwhoansweredtootherlaws.Hewasnotwhollysurprised,forstrangerumourswerealwaysblowingovertheAlpsoflandswheremenandwomenhadthesameamusementsandinterests,andhehadoftenmetthatprivilegedmaniac,theladytourist,onhersolitarywalks.Liliatooksolitarywalkstoo,andonlythatweekatramphadgrabbedatherwatch—anepisodewhichissupposedtobeindigenousinItaly,thoughreallylessfrequenttherethaninBondStreet.Nowthatheknewherbetter,hewasinevitablylosinghisawe:noonecouldlivewithherandkeepit,especiallywhenshehadbeensosillyastoloseagoldwatchandchain.Ashelaythoughtfulalongtheparapet,herealizedforthefirsttimetheresponsibilitiesofmoniedlife.Hemustsaveherfromdangers,physicalandsocial,forafterallshewasawoman.“AndI,”hereflected,“thoughIamyoung,amatalleventsaman,andknowwhatisright.”
Hefoundherstillintheliving-room,combingherhair,forshehadsomethingoftheslatterninhernature,andtherewasnoneedtokeepupappearances.
“Youmustnotgooutalone,”hesaidgently.“Itisnotsafe.Ifyouwanttowalk,Perfettashallaccompanyyou.”Perfettawasawidowedcousin,toohumbleforsocialaspirations,whowaslivingwiththemasfactotum.
“Verywell,”smile