'
'My child how fresh you are! Do you suppose it is the handsome men or
the fascinating men for whom women break their hearts in society? It is
the rich men they all want to marry--men like Smithson, who can give
them diamonds, and yachts, and a hunting stud, and half a dozen fine
houses. Those are the prizes--the blue ribbons of the matrimonial
race-course--men like Smithson, who pretend to admire all the pretty
women, who dangle, and dangle, and keep off other offers, and give ten
guinea bouquets, and then at the end of the season are off to Hombourg
or the Scotch moors, without a word. Do you think that kind of treatment
is not hard enough to break a penniless girl's heart? She sees the
golden prize within her grasp, as she believes; she thinks that she and
poverty have parted company for ever; she imagines herself mistress of
town house and country houses, yachts and stables; and then one fine
morning the gentleman is off and away! Do not you think that is enough
to break a girl's heart?'
'I can imagine that girl steeped to the lips in poverty might be willing
to marry Mr.
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