great deal of good advice; but I
subdued even him, for before he went away he spoke in a broken voice,
and there were tears in his eyes, which papa said were owing to a
variety of causes. It is ludicrous enough, no doubt, but it is also a
little bit humiliating. I try to laugh the thing away, whether the
opinion expressed about me is solemnly stupid or merely impertinent, but
the vexation of it remains; and the chief vexation to me is that I
should have so little command of myself, so little respect for myself,
as to suffer myself to be vexed. But how can one help it? Public opinion
is the very breath and life of a theatre and of every one connected with
it; and you come to attach importance to the most foolish expression of
opinion in the most obscure print."

"And so, my dear friend, I have had my grumble out--and made my
confession too, for I should not like to let every one know how foolish
I am about those petty vexations--and you will see that I have not
forgotten what you said to me, and that further reflection and
experience have only confirmed it. But I must warn you. Now that I have
victimized you to this fearful extent, and liberated my mind, I feel
much more comfortable. As I write, there is a blue color coming into the
window that tells me the new day is coming. Would it surprise you if the
new day brought a complete new set of feelings? I have begun to doubt
whether I have got any opinions--whether, having to be so many different
people in the course of a week, I have any clear notion as to what I
myself am. One thing is certain, that I have been greatly vexed and
worried of late by a succession of the merest trifles; and when I got
your kind letter and present this evening, I suddenly thought, Now for a
complete confession and protest. I know you will forgive me for having
victimized you, and that as soon as you have thrown this rambling
epistle into the fire you will try to forget all the nonsense it
contains and will believe that I hope always to remain your friend,

"GERTRUDE WHITE."

His quick and warm sympathy refused to believe the half of this letter.
It was only because she knew what was owing to the honor and
self-respect of a true woman that she spoke in this tone of bitter and
scornful depreciation of herself. It was clear that she was longing for
the dignity and independence of a more natural way of life. And this
revelation--that she was