It was an utter impossibility for Ida Edgham to be entirely balked of any purpose which she might form.

There was something at once impressive and terrible about the strength of this beautiful, smiling creature's will, about its silence, its impassibility before obstacles, its persistency.

It was as inevitable and unswervable as an avalanche or a cyclone.

People might shriek out against it and struggle, but on it came, a mighty force, overwhelming petty things as well as great ones.

It really seemed a pity, taking into consideration Ida's tremendous strength of character, that she had not some great national purpose upon which to exert herself, instead of such trivial domestic ones.
Ida realized that she could not send Maria to the school which she had proposed.