 Edith, »was to beg and entreat and
implore you and Mr Reardon to dine with us next Wednesday. Now don't put on such
a severe face! Are you engaged that evening?«
    »Yes; in the ordinary way. Edwin can't possibly leave his work.«
    »But for one poor evening! It's such ages since we saw you.«
    »I'm very sorry. I don't think we shall ever be able to accept invitations
in future.«
    Amy spoke thus at the prompting of a sudden impulse. A minute ago, no such
definite declaration was in her mind.
    »Never?« exclaimed Edith. »But why? Whatever do you mean?«
    »We find that social engagements consume too much time,« Amy replied, her
explanation just as much of an impromptu as the announcement had been. »You see,
one must either belong to society or not. Married people can't accept an
occasional invitation from friends and never do their social duty in return. We
have decided to withdraw altogether - at all events for the present. I shall see
no one except my relatives.«
    Edith listened with a face of astonishment.
    »You won't even see me?« she exclaimed.
    »Indeed I have no wish to lose your friendship. Yet I am ashamed to ask you
to come here when I can never return your visits.«
    »Oh, please don't put it in that way! But it seems so very strange.«
    Edith could not help conjecturing the true significance of this resolve.
But, as is commonly the case with people in easy circumstances, she found it
hard to believe that her friends were so straitened as to have a difficulty in
supporting the ordinary obligations of a civilised state.
    »I know how precious your husband's time is,« she added, as if to remove the
effect of her last remark. »Surely there's no harm in my saying - we know each
other well enough - you wouldn't think it necessary to devote an evening to
entertaining us just because you had given us the pleasure of your company. I
put it very stupidly, but I'm sure you understand me, Amy. Don't refuse just to
come to our house now and then.«
    »I'm afraid we shall have to be consistent, Edith.«
    »But do you think this is a wise thing to do?«
    »Wise?«
    »You know what you once told me, about how necessary it was
