FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173  
174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   >>  
ady girls who toil?" "That is a remarkable sentence," said Edith. "Do you mind saying it again?" Mrs. Aylmer looked at her and smiled. "I won't say it again," she said, "for it does not fit the circumstance. You do not toil." "But indeed I do; I work extremely hard--often eight or nine hours a day." "Good gracious! How crushing! But you don't look bad." "I have no intention of being bad, for I enjoy my work. I am studying to be a lady doctor." "Oh, don't," said Mrs. Aylmer. She immediately drew down her veil and seated herself in such a position that the light should not fall on her face. "I have heard of those awful medical women," she said, after a pause, "and I assure you the mere idea of them makes me ill. I hope they will never become the fashion. You expect medical knowledge in a man, but not in a woman. My dear, pray don't stare at me; you may discover that I have some secret disease which I do not know of myself. I do not wish it found out even if it exists. Please keep your eyes off me." "I am not going to diagnose your case, if that is what you mean," replied Edith, with a smile. "I am by no means qualified: I have to pass my exams in America." "Thank you." Mrs. Aylmer sighed again. "It is a relief to know that at present you understand but little of the subject. I hope some good man may marry you and prevent your becoming that monster--a woman doctor. But now to change the subject. I am extremely anxious for my daughter to return. I have bad news for her. Can you tell me how she is?" "Well, I think," replied Edith. "You know her." "Oh, yes, rather intimately. Have you not heard our news?" "What news?" "She is engaged to my brother." "What?" cried Mrs. Aylmer. She sprang to her feet; she forgot in her excitement all fear of the embryo medical woman. She dropped her cloak and rushed forward to where Edith was standing and seized both her hands. "My girl engaged to your brother! And pray who is your brother?" "A very rising journalist, a remarkably clever man. It is, let me tell you, Mrs. Aylmer, an excellent match for your daughter." "Oh, that remains to be seen. I don't at all know that I countenance the engagement." "I am afraid you cannot help it now. Florence is of age. I wonder she did not write to you." "I may not have received her letter. The fact is I have been away from home for the last day or two. But I wish she would return, as I have come on most
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173  
174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   >>  



Top keywords:
Aylmer
 

medical

 

brother

 

engaged

 

doctor

 
replied
 
subject
 

return

 
daughter
 

extremely


forgot

 

excitement

 
sprang
 

understand

 
forward
 

rushed

 
embryo
 
dropped
 

anxious

 

sentence


change

 

prevent

 

monster

 

remarkable

 

intimately

 

seized

 

received

 

letter

 

Florence

 

afraid


rising

 
journalist
 

present

 

remarkably

 

clever

 
countenance
 

engagement

 
remains
 

excellent

 
standing

assure
 

fashion

 
expect
 
crushing
 

immediately

 

studying

 
intention
 

position

 
seated
 

gracious