An Apparition

"Aspirations in women are mere delusions," was her compensating sigh to
Grace. "There is no truer saying, than that a woman will receive every
man."

"I have always been glad that is aprocryphal," said Grace, "and Eastern
women have no choice."

"Nor are Western women better than Eastern," said Rachel. "It is all
circumstances. No mental power or acuteness has in any instance that
I have yet seen, been able to balance the propensity to bondage. The
utmost flight is, that the attachment should not be unworthy."

"I own that I am very much surprised," said Grace.

"I am not at all," said Rachel. "I have given up hoping better things. I
was beginning to have a high opinion of Bessie Keith's capabilities, but
womanhood was at the root all the time; and, as her brother says, she
has had great disadvantages, and I can make excuses for her. She had not
her heart filled with one definite scheme of work and usefulness, such
as deters the trifling and designing."

"Like the F. U. E. E.?"

"Yes, the more I see of the fate of other women, the more thankful I am
that my vocation has taken a formed and developed shape."

And thus Rachel could afford to speak without severity of the match,
though she abstained from congratulation. She did not see Captain
Keith for the next few days, but at last the two sisters met him at
the Cathedral door as they were getting into the carriage after a
day's shopping at Avoncester; and Grace offered her congratulations, in
accordance with her mother's old fashioned code.