“Putting ridiculous notions in their heads about educating their daughters,” he said. “Have you no sense, Rebecca? Soon we will be having all these mothers demanding that we take in their girls.”
“Perhaps it would be a good thing if we did,” Rebecca said. “We would be forced to move a little faster than weoriginally planned, it is true, but we could rise to thechallenge. We have been very successful during our firstyear.”
“Rebecca,” he said, turning to face her, “I must tell you now once and for all that the school will never includegirls. The idea is ridiculous. Why should we waste ourtime on educating females? What possible use could therebe in our doing so?”
She flushed. “I am a female, Philip,” she said, “and I happen to feel that my life is a little more complete for myability to read and write and compute and for my knowledge of history and of French and music.”
He made an impatient gesture. “You are not a member of the lower classes,” he said. “Of course it is necessaryfor ladies to have some smattering of knowledge so thatthey can participate to some small degree in social conversation. For these girls, Rebecca, an education would serveno purpose at all.”
“Are we really such inferior creatures?” Rebecca asked very quietly. “And tell me, Philip, do I successfully participate to some small degree in social conversation? Do Isave the gentlemen from the boredom of having to listen toan utter ninnyhammer all the time?”
“You are becoming angry, Rebecca,” Philip said calmly, “and speaking unreasonably. You know that you are twisting my words. I am not saying that these girls are useless.They have infinite value. They are God’s creatures, fashioned to be a help and a comfort to their menfolk. Wewould spoil them by educating them, spoil their God-givenbeauty.”
“Woman achieves worth and beauty only through the service she renders her menfolk,” Rebecca said.
Philip almost smiled. “I could not have said it better,” he said. “I must try to remember those exact words.”
“I will reach final fulfillment as a woman and as a person when I become your helpmeet,” she said.
This time he did smile. “What a beautiful idea,” he said. “You will be a good wife, Rebecca. I am a fortunateman.”
“Poppycock!” was all Rebecca said.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said, ‘Poppycock!’ ” she repeated very distinctly. Philip frowned. “Yes, I heard you the first time,” hesaid, “but thought I must have mistaken. I have neverheard such an inelegant word on your lips.”
“It comes from having an education,” she said. “I have read the word somewhere. I am already one of the spoiled,Philip. You know, there has always been something aboutyou that has made me somewhat uneasy. I have never beenable to identify what it is. I think I know now. You arepompous in the extreme. Yes, you really are.”
Philip turned very white. He looked down at her, his face expressionless. “I think you are not quite well today,Rebecca,” he said. “Perhaps you should go and take sometea and sit down for a while before you say something thatyou will really regret.”
Rebecca stared at him. “It has ever been thus, has it not, Philip?” she said. “Several times in the past we haveapproached the point at which we might really communicate and discuss differences in our ideas. And always youclose the door to me. Are you afraid of a healthy argument? Or is it that you are so convinced that you are rightthat my opinion is of no interest to you?”
“Enough, Rebecca,” he said. “I have no wish or intention to stand here brawling with you. And when you are my wife, I shall certainly expect you to bow quietly to mywill, even if you do not always like it. You will promise inthe marriage service to obey me.”
“No,” she said slowly, “I do not believe I will, Philip.”
“I am sorry if you do not like it,” he said, “but I cantell you with all confidence that the Reverend Warner willnot proceed with the ceremony until you have done so.”
“I do not believe there will be any ceremony,” Rebeccasaid quietly, looking steadily into his eyes.
He looked back. “What are you telling me?’’ he asked.
“I don’t think I am going to marry you, Philip,” she said.
There was silence between them for a while. He laughed briefly and passed a hand across the back of his neck.“And all because I object to having girls in the school?”he said. “Do you not think this quarrel has got a little outof hand, Rebecca? Let us not do anything hasty. Runalong and enjoy yourself for a while. We will meet againlater when our tempers have cooled. Perhaps we will beable to laugh at what has just happened.”
Rebecca looked away from him and down at her hands. “I do not think so, Philip,” she said sadly. “I believe wehave just discovered what perhaps we have always beenaware of, that there is a fundamental difference in ouroutlook on life. But I shall do as you say. I wish to findMr. Sinclair and talk to him for a while. I shall see youlater?”
He nodded and turned toward the parsonage. Rebecca watched him go until he was inside the house and the doorclosed behind him.
Now what had she done!
Harriet was holding court to a circle of young men at the edge of the village green. Christopher, Julian, Mr. Carver,and Mr. Bartlett were all there, as well as a few otheracquaintances. She was twirling her pink parasol behindher head.
“She said there was to be a big upheaval in my life soon,” she was saying as Rebecca came within earshot.“And I shall soon be happily married to a man who iswithin the boundaries of the village at this moment.” Shelooked coquettishly around at the interested faces surveying her.
“You don’t really set any store by what fortune-tellers say, do you, though, Harriet?” Julian asked.
