Phineas, with his eyes
turned upon the lake, was considering how he might introduce the
subject of his love for Violet Effingham; but he did not find the
matter very easy. He had just resolved to begin by saying that Violet
would certainly never accept Lord Chiltern, when Lady Laura spoke a
word or two which stopped him altogether. "How well I remember," she
said, "the day when you and I were here last autumn!"
"So do I. You told me then that you were going to marry Mr. Kennedy.
How much has happened since then!"
"Much indeed! Enough for a whole lifetime. And yet how slow the time
has gone!"
"I do not think it has been slow with me," said Phineas.
"No; you have been active. You have had your hands full of work. I
am beginning to think that it is a great curse to have been born a
woman."
"And yet I have heard you say that a woman may do as much as a man."
"That was before I had learned my lesson properly. I know better than
that now. Oh dear! I have no doubt it is all for the best as it is,
but I have a kind of wish that I might be allowed to go out and milk
the cows."
"And may you not milk the cows if you wish it, Lady Laura?"
"By no means;--not only not milk them, but hardly look at them. At
any rate, I must not talk about them.
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