erybody has trying to give
course dinners--why need we pretend we don't?" she had thought on
several painful occasions; but this, like many of her fancies, was a
fleeting one. There had been as little time since her wedding day as
before it for leisurely speculation. The business of being _the_ bride
of a season had been quite as exciting and absorbing as being _the_
debutante.

The first of February, six months after her marriage, found her as thin
and restlessly active as she had been on that date a year before. It was
at that time that she had the first intimation of a great change in her
life, and since the one or two obscure and futile revolts of her
girlhood, nothing had moved her to more rebellious unresignation than
the fact that her life left her no time to take in the significance of
what was coming to her.

"Oh, my dear! Isn't it too good!" said her mother, clasping her for a
moment as they stood, after removing their wraps, in the dressing-room
of a common acquaintance. "Aren't you the lucky, lucky thing!"

"I don't know. I don't know a thing about it," Lydia returned
unexpectedly, though her face had turned a deep rose, and she had smiled
tremulously. "Ever since Dr. Melton told me it was probably so, I've
been trying to get a moment's time to think it over, but you--"

"It's something to _feel_, not to think about!" cried her mother. "You
don't need time to feel."

"But I'd like to think about everything!" cried Lydia, as they moved
down the stairs. "I get things wrong just feeling about them. But I'm
not quick to think, and I never have any time--they're always so many
other things to do and to think about--the dinner, getting Paul off in
time in the morning, how badly the washwoman does up the table linen--"

"Oh, Lydia! Why will you be so contrary? Everybody says _laundress_
now!"

"--And however Paul and I can pay back all the social debts we've
incurred this winter. Everybody's invited us. It makes me wild to think
of how we owe everybody."

"Oh, you can give two or three big receptions this spring and clear
millions off the list. And then a dinner party or two for the more
exclusives. You won't need to be out of things till June--with the
fashion for loose-fitting evening gowns; you're so slender. And you'll
be out again long before Christmas. It's very fortunate having it come
at this time of year."

Lydia looked rather dazed at this brisk and matter-of-fact disposing of
the matter, and