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TOWARDS HOTEL LIFE - The Old Wives' Tale
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"A mistake!" exclaimed Constance, startled.
"A very great mistake," Sophia insisted, observing that she was creating an effect.
"I don't see how I can be making a mistake," Constance said, gaining confidence in herself, as she thought the matter over.
"No," said Sophia, "I'm sure you don't see it. But you are. You know, you are just a little apt to let yourself be a slave to that house of yours. Instead of the house existing for you, you exist for the house."
"Oh! Sophia!" Constance muttered awkwardly. "What ideas you do have, to be sure!" In her nervousness she rose and picked up some embroidery, adjusting her spectacles and coughing. When she sat down she said: "No one could take things easier than I do as regards housekeeping. I can assure you I let dozens of little matters go, rather than bother myself."
"Then why do you bother now?" Sophia posed her.
"I can't leave the place like that." Constance was hurt.
"There's one thing I can't understand," said Sophia, raising her head and gazing at Constance again, "and that is, why you live in St. Luke's Square at all."
"I must live somewhere. And I'm sure it's very pleasant."
"In all that smoke! And with that dirt! And the house is very old."
"It's a great deal better built than a lot of those new houses by the Park," Constance sharply retorted. In spite of herself she resented any criticism of her house. She even resented the obvious truth that it was old.
"You'll never get a servant to stay in that cellar-kitchen, for one thing," said Sophia, keeping calm.
"Oh! I don't know about that! I don't know about that! That Bennion woman didn't object to it, anyway. It's all very well for you, Sophia, to talk like that. But I know Bursley perhaps better than you do." She was tart again. "And I can assure you that my house is looked upon as a very good house indeed."
"Oh! I don't say it isn't; I don't say it isn't. But you would be better away from it. Every one says that."
"Every one?" Constance looked up, dropping her work. "Who? Who's been talking about me?"
"Well," said Sophia, "the doctor, for instance."
"Dr. Stirling? I like that! He's always saying that Bursley is one of the healthiest climates in England. He's always sticking up for Bursley."
"Dr. Stirling thinks you ought to go away more--not stay always in that dark house." If Sophia had sufficiently reflected she would not have used the adjective 'dark.' It did not help her cause.
"Oh, does he!" Constance fairly snorted. "Well, if it's of any interest to Dr. Stirling, I like my dark house."
"Hasn't he ever told you you ought to go away more?" Sophia persisted.
"He may have mentioned it," Constance reluctantly admitted.
"When he was talking to me he did a good deal more than mention it. And I've a good mind to tell you what he said."
"Do!" said Constance, politely. 
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