That was it, he told himself, the whole city was high-heeled! No solid footing anywhere! And, good Lord, how they chattered! He turned into a less noisy street.

What would Judith want if she were here?
It became disturbingly clear to him that she would undoubtedly wish him to have a talk with Laura now, find out if she'd really made up her mind not to have any children, and if so to tell her plainly that she was not only going against her God but risking her own happiness.

For though Judith had been liberal about any number of smaller things, she had been decidedly clear on this.

Yes, he must talk to Laura.
"And she'll tell me," he reflected, "that Edith put me up to it!" If only his oldest daughter would leave the other girls alone! Here she was planning a row with Deborah over whether poor young George should be allowed to play with rats! It was all so silly!...

Yes, his three children were drifting apart, each one of them going her separate way.