But something must be done. She wished to live on in Ballinger House if possible, not only because she loved it, or to avoid the commiserations of the world; she had no desire to live in narrow quarters with her husband.... And she knew nothing, was fit for nothing, belonged to a silly class that still looked upon women workers as de-classed, although to be sure two or three whose husbands had left them penniless had gone into business and were loyally tolerated, if deeply deplored. The day after her return from Europe Alice Thorndyke had come into this room and thrown herself down on the couch, her long, languorous body looking as if set on steel springs, her angelic blonde beauty distorted with fury and disgust, and poured out her hatred of men and all their ways, her loathing for society and gambling and all the stupid vicious round of the life both public and secret she had elected to lead.... She had had enough of it.... After all, she had some brains and she wanted to use them. She wanted to go into the decorating business. There was an opening. She had a natural flair for that sort of thing. See what she had managed to do with that old ark she had inherited, and on five cents a year.... When she had asked her sister to advance the money Sibyl had flown into one of her worst rages and thrown a gold hair brush through a Venetian mirror. Didn't she give her clothes by the dozen that she hadn't worn a month? Did any girl have a better time in society? Was any girl luckier at poker? Was any girl more popular with men--too bad it was generally the married ones that lost their heads.... Better if she stopped fooling and married. By and by it would be too late. But she didn't want to marry. She was sick of men. She wanted to get out of her old life altogether and cultivate a side of her mind and character that had stagnated so far ... also to enjoy the independent life of a money-earner ... life in an entirely different world ... something new ... new ... new. Alexina had offered to lend her the capital, for Alice had a hard cool head. But she had refused, saying she could mortgage her old barrack if it came to that ... but she didn't know ... it would be a break.... Sib might never speak to her again ... people were such snobs ... and she mightn't like it ... she wished she had been born of poor but honest parents and put to work in a canning factory or married the plumber. She had done nothing, and Alexina wondered if she would have the courage to go into some sort of business with herself ... they could give out they were bored, seeking a new distraction ... save the precious pride of their families.