"Your mother's a plain, natural person and never has felt at home in that big house.

Indeed, I don't think any human being ever does feel at home in a big house.

There was a time when they fitted in with the order of things; but now they've become silly, it seems to me, except for public purposes.

When we all get sensible and go in for being somebody instead of for showing off, we'll live in convenient, comfortable, really tasteful and individual houses and have big buildings only for general use." "I'm afraid the world will never grow up into your ideals, Madelene," said Del with restrained irony.

"At least not in our day." "I'm in no hurry," replied Madelene good-naturedly.