grets and
longings, and sometimes to stir to a conflict and desperation that end
in madness.

"I believe I should have been happier, if I had married some commonplace
worthy in early life, and been the mother of ten children," Valeria
observed, aloud.

Hadria laughed. "By this time, you or the ten children would have come
to some tragic end. I don't know which I would pity most."

"I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do what other women have done,"
cried Valeria.

"A good deal more. But think, Valeria, of ten particular constitutions
to grapple with, ten sets of garments to provide, ten series of ailments
to combat, ten--no, let me see, two hundred and forty teeth to take to
the dentist, not to mention characters and consciences in all their
developments and phases, rising, on this appalling decimal system of
yours, to regions of arithmetic far beyond my range."

"You exaggerate preposterously!" cried Valeria, half annoyed, although
she laughed. She had the instinctive human desire to assert her ability
in the direction where of all others it was lacking.

"And think of the uprush of impulse, good and evil; the stirring of the
thought, the movements of longing and wonder, and then all the greedy
selfishness of youth, with its untamed vigours and its superb hopes.
What help does a child get from its parents, in the midst of this
tumult, out of which silently, the future man or woman emerges--and
grows, remember, according to the manner in which the world meets these
generous or these baser movements of the soul?"

"You would frighten anyone from parenthood!" cried Valeria,
discontentedly.

"Admit at least, that eight, or even seven, would have satisfied you."

"Well, I don't mind foregoing the last three or four," said Valeria.
"But seriously, I think that a home and so forth, is the best that life
has to offer to us women. It is, perhaps, not asking much, but I believe
if one goes further, one fares worse."

"We all think the toothache would be so much more bearable, if it were
only in the other tooth," said the Professor.

A silence fell upon the three. Their thoughts were evidently busy.

"I feel sorry," the Professor said at last, "that this should be your
testimony. It has always seemed to me ridiculous that a woman could not
gratify her domestic sentiments, without being claimed by them, body and
soul. But I hoped that our more developed women would show us that they
could make a full and useful a