three
days, and I 'm sure it is a pleasant change--a gentleman's visit. All of
a sudden we have gone into mourning; I 'm sure I don't know who 's dead.
Is it Mr. Gordon Wright? It 's some idea of Mrs. Vivian's--I 'm sure
it is n't mine. She thinks we have been often enough to the Kursaal. I
don't know whether she thinks it 's wicked, or what. If it 's wicked the
harm 's already done; I can't be any worse than I am now. I have seen
all the improper people and I have learnt all their names; Captain
Lovelock has told me their names, plenty of times. I don't see what good
it does me to be shut up here with all those names running in my ears.
I must say I do prefer society. We have n't been to the Kursaal for
four days--we have only gone out for a drive. We have taken the most
interminable drives. I do believe we have seen every old ruin in
the whole country. Mrs. Vivian and Angela are so awfully fond of
scenery--they talk about it by the half-hour. They talk about the
mountains and trees as if they were people they knew--as if they were
gentlemen! I mean as if the mountains and trees were gentlemen. Of
course scenery 's lovely, but you can't walk about with a tree. At any
rate, that has been all our society--foliage! Foliage and women; but I
suppose women are a sort of foliage. They are always rustling about and
dropping off. That 's why I could n't make up my mind to go out
with them this afternoon. They 've gone to see the Waterworths--the
Waterworths arrived yesterday and are staying at some hotel. Five
daughters--all unmarried! I don't know what kind of foliage they are;
some peculiar kind--they don't drop off. I thought I had had about
enough ladies' society--three women all sticking together! I don't think
it 's good for a young girl to have nothing but ladies' society--it 's
so awfully limited. I suppose I ought to stand up for my own sex and
tell you that when we are alone together we want for nothing. But we
want for everything, as it happens! Women's talk is limited--every one
knows that. That 's just what mamma did n't want when she asked Mrs.
Vivian to take charge of me. Now, Mr. Longueville, what are you laughing
at?--you are always laughing at me. She wanted me to be unlimited--is
that what you say? Well, she did n't want me to be narrowed down; she
wanted me to have plenty of conversation. She wanted me to be fitted
for society--that 's what mamma wanted. She wanted me to have ease of
manner; she thinks that