Wilkie Collins

Jezebel's Daughter Wilkie Collins

To describe her personally, she was a little lady, with a remarkably pretty figure, a clear palecomplexion, a broad low forehead, and large, steady, brightly-intelligent gray eyes. Having married aman very much older than herself, she was still (after many years of wedded life) a notably attractivewoman. But she never seemed to be conscious of her personal advantages, or vain of the veryremarkable abilities which she did unquestionably possess. Under ordinary circumstances, she was asingularly gentle, unobtrusive creature. But let the occasion call for it, and the reserves of resolutionin her showed themselves instantly. In all my experience I have never met with such a firm woman, when she was once roused. She entered on her business with us, wasting no time in preliminary words. Her face showedplain signs, poor soul, of a wakeful and tearful night. But she claimed no indulgence on that account. When she spoke of her dead husband-excepting a slight unsteadiness in her voice-she controlledherself with a courage which was at once pitiable and admirable to see."You both know," she began, "that Mr. Wagner was a man who thought for himself. He hadideas of his duty to his poor and afflicted fellow-creatures which are in advance of received opinionsin the world about us. I love and revere his memory-and (please God) I mean to carry out hisideas."The lawyer began to look uneasy. "Do you refer, madam, to Mr. Wagner's political opinions?"he inquired. Fifty years ago, my old master's political opinions were considered to be nothing less thanrevolutionary. In these days-when his Opinions have been sanctioned by Acts of Parliament, withthe general approval of the nation-people would have called him a "Moderate Liberal," and wouldhave set him down as a discreetly deliberate man in the march of modern progress."I have nothing to say about politics," my aunt answered. "I wish to speak to you, in the firstplace, of my husband's opinions on the employment of women."Here, again, after a lapse of half a century, my master's heresies of the year 1828 have becomethe orthodox principles of the year 1878. Thinking the subject over in his own independent way, hehad arrived at the conclusion that there were many employments reserved exclusively for men, which might with perfect propriety be also thrown open to capable and deserving wome