“Of course Mr. Craddock is a very worthy young man,” added Miss Glover, who was afraid she had said too much. “If you approve of the match no one else can complain.” “I don’t approve of the match, Miss Glover, but I’m not such a fool as to oppose it. Marriage is always a hopeless idiocy for a woman who has enough money of her own to live upon.” “It’s an institution of the Church, Miss Ley,” replied Miss Glover, rather severely. “Is it?” retorted Miss Ley. “I always thought it was an arrangement to provide work for the judges in the Divorce Court.” To this Miss Glover very properly made no answer. “Do you think they’ll be happy together?” “I think it very improbable,” said Miss Ley. “Well, don’t you think it’s your duty--excuse my mentioning it, Miss Ley--to do something?” “My dear Miss Glover, I don’t think they’ll be more unhappy than most married couples; and one’s greatest duty in this world is to leave people alone.” “There I cannot agree with you,” said Miss Glover, bridling. “If duty was not more difficult than that there would be no credit in doing it.” “Ah, my dear, your idea of a happy life is always to do the disagreeable thing: mine is to gather the roses--with gloves on, so that the thorns should not prick me.” “That’s not the way to win the battle, Miss Ley. We must all fight.” “My dear Miss Glover!” said Bertha’s aunt. She fancied it a little impertinent for a woman twenty years younger than herself to exhort her to lead a better life. But the picture of that poor, ill-dressed creature fighting with a devil, cloven-footed, betailed and behorned, was as pitiful as it was comic; and with difficulty Miss Ley repressed an impulse to argue and to startle a little her estimable friend. But at that moment Dr. Ramsay came in. He shook hands with both ladies. “I thought I’d look in to see how Bertha was,” he said. “Poor Mr. Craddock has another adversary,” remarked Miss Ley. “Miss Glover thinks I ought to take the affair seriously.” “I do, indeed,” said Miss Glover. “Ever since I was a young girl,” said Miss Ley, “I’ve been trying not to take things seriously, and I’m afraid now I’m hopelessly frivolous.” The contrast between this assertion and Miss Ley’s prim manner was really funny, but Miss Glover saw only something quite incomprehensible.