I am afraid that you have not yet become a
brother of the House of Martha."
There was nothing inspiring about this badinage, but I braced myself to
the work, and told her what had happened in Washington.
"This is truly dreadful," she declared. "Of course I had no idea that
Mother Anastasia would consider your plan as anything more than the wild
outreachings of a baffled lover, but I did not imagine that she would
take it in this way. This is very bad."
"It is," I answered. "Everything is knocked from under me."
"Oh, bless you," said the lady, "I wasn't thinking of you, but of Mother
Anastasia. It was the happiest news I can remember when I heard that she
was soon to drop that name and all that belonged to it, and to begin a
life in which she would be a woman among her peers, no matter with what
sex they happen to be classed. But if she stops short and remains in
that miserable House of Martha, the result is bound to be disastrous. If
she believes it is necessary to spend her life in protecting Sylvia from
your assaults, she is the woman to spend her life in that way."
"What her friends should do," said I, "is to convince her that it is not
necessary."
Miss Laniston gazed upon me fixedly. "You think it would be a great pity
for a beautiful woman--a remarkably fine woman like Mother Anastasia--to
hide herself away in that make-believe convent?"
"Indeed I do," I answered, with animation.
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