[The Odd Women by George Gissing]@TWC D-Link book
The Odd Women

CHAPTER VI
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'I quite enter into your point of view, but I think you go beyond practical zeal.

However, I will help the girl in some other way, if possible.' 'I have offended you.' 'Impossible to take offence at such obvious sincerity.' 'But surely you grant the force of what I say ?' 'We differ a good deal, Rhoda, on certain points which as a rule would never come up to interfere with our working in harmony.

You have come to dislike the very thought of marriage--and everything of that kind.

I think it's a danger you ought to have avoided.

True, we wish to prevent girls from marrying just for the sake of being supported, and from degrading themselves as poor Bella Royston has done; but surely between ourselves we can admit that the vast majority of women would lead a wasted life if they did not marry.' 'I maintain that the vast majority of women lead a vain and miserable life because they _do_ marry.' 'Don't you blame the institution of marriage with what is chargeable to human fate?
A vain and miserable life is the lot of nearly all mortals.
Most women, whether they marry or not, will suffer and commit endless follies.' 'Most women--as life is at present arranged for them.


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