But Christie was in earnest, and produced her new project with all speed.

“I want you to try a little experiment for me, and if it succeeds you shall have all the glory; I’ve been waiting for some one to undertake it, and I fancy you are the woman.  Not every one could attempt it; for it needs wealth and position, beauty and accomplishments, much tact, and more than all a heart that has not been spoilt by the world, but taught through sorrow how to value and use life well.”

“Christie, what is it? this experiment that needs so much, and yet which you think me capable of trying?” asked Bella, interested and flattered by this opening.

“I want you to set a new fashion:  you know you can set almost any you choose in your own circle; for people are very like sheep, and will follow their leader if it happens to be one they fancy.  I don’t ask you to be a De Staël, and have a brilliant salon:  I only want you to provide employment and pleasure for others like yourself, who now are dying of frivolity or ennui.”

“I should love to do that if I could.  Tell me how.”

“Well, dear, I want you to make Harry’s home as beautiful and attractive as you can; to keep all the elegance and refinement of former times, and to add to it a new charm by setting the fashion of common sense.  Invite all the old friends, and as many new ones as you choose; but have it understood that they are to come as intelligent men and women, not as pleasure-hunting beaux and belles; give them conversation instead of gossip; less food for the body and more for the mind; the healthy stimulus of the nobler pleasures they can command, instead of the harmful excitements of present dissipation.  In short, show them the sort of society we need more of, and might so easily have if those who possess the means of culture cared for the best sort, and took pride in acquiring it.  Do you understand, Bella?”

“Yes, but it’s a great undertaking, and you could do it better than I.”

“Bless you, no!  I haven’t a single qualification for it but the will to have it done.  I’m ‘strong-minded,’ a radical, and a reformer.  I’ve done all sorts of dreadful things to get my living, and I have neither youth, beauty, talent, or position to back me up; so I should only be politely ignored if I tried the experiment myself.  I don’t want you to break out and announce your purpose with a flourish; or try to reform society at large, but I do want you to devote yourself and your advantages to quietly insinuating a better state of things into one little circle.  The very fact of your own want, your own weariness, proves how much such a reform is needed.  There are so many fine young women longing for something to fill up the empty places that come when the first flush of youth is over, and the serious side of life appears; so many promising young men learning to conceal or condemn the high ideals and the noble purposes they started with, because they find no welcome for them.  You might help both by simply creating a purer atmosphere for them to breathe, sunshine to foster instead of frost to nip their good aspirations, and so, even if you planted no seed, you might encourage a timid sprout or two that would one day be a lovely flower or a grand tree all would admire and enjoy.”