Earthly deeds
Dr. Madden was a widower. His wife, Mrs. Madden, was “a sweet, calm, unpretending woman.” She was “admirable in domesticities” and her “speech and thought” were “distinguished by a native refinement, which in the most fastidious eyes would have established her claim to the title of lady.” “Having given birth to six daughter,” the woman “had fulfilled her function in this wonderful world.” She had been resting “in the old churchyard” that looked “upon the Severn sea” for “two years.” The irony was that if Mrs. Madden had refrained from fulfilling “her function”, she would have lived longer.
The irony of life
In spite of the fact that “the atmosphere” of the house was “intellectual,” it “never occurred to Dr. Madden” that his daughters “would do well to study with a professional object.” Of course, “in hours of melancholy” he had dreaded “the risks of life” and resolved, “always with postponement,” to make “some practical provision for his family.” He knew that “teaching would always be their resource” if “a fatality befell.” However, the mere thought of his girls having to work “for money” was “so utterly repulsive to him” that he could “never seriously dwell upon it.” If Dr. Madden had known that his carelessness would make his dear daughters suffer so much, he would have supported the emancipation movement. That was real irony of life.
Hopes
Monica thought of her sisters. Their loneliness was “for life, poor things.” They were already “old.” Their future was clear, they would “grow older, sadder, perpetually struggling.” Monica’s heart “ached at the misery of such a prospect.” She thought that it would be better if “the poor girls had never been born.” Her own future was “more hopeful” than Alice and Virginia’s had ever been. Monica knew herself “good-looking” and hoped to marry a man “whom she could respect.” The irony was that the only thing Alice, Virginia, and Monica did was hope, as if hope could really help them.
