no man ever glances at them twice.  It is such misery as that which I dread for you, Helen, and why I am talking to you.  There is no reason why you should take upon you such sorrows; you have a clear head, and you can think for yourself and make up your mind about things if you only won’t blind yourself by foolish sentimentality.  You have been brought up to a certain station in life, and no man has a right to offer himself to you unless he can maintain you in that station.  There is really no scarcity of such men, Helen, and you’d have no trouble in finding one.  There are hundreds of men in New York who are worth millions, and who would fling themselves and their wealth at your feet if you would have them.  And you would find such a difference between the opportunities of pleasure and command that such a chance would give you and the narrow life that you lead in this little town that you would wonder how you could ever have been satisfied.  It is difficult for you to realize what I mean, my dear, because you have only a schoolgirl’s knowledge of life and its pleasures, but when you are in the world, and have learned what power is, and what it means to possess such beauty as yours, you will feel your heart swelling with a new pleasure, and you will thank me for what I tell you.  I have figured a wonderful triumph for you, Helen, and it is time you knew what is before you.  Of what use is your beauty, if you do not carry it into a wide enough sphere, where it can bring you the admiration and homage you deserve?  You need such a field, Helen, to discover your own powers in; believe me, my dear, there is really a higher ambition in the world than to be a country clergyman’s daughter.”

“Is there any higher than being happy, Auntie?” asked Helen.

The importance of that observation was beyond the other’s ken, as indeed it was beyond Helen’s also; she had thrown it out as a chance remark.

“Mr. Roberts and I were talking about this last night,” went on Aunt Polly, “and he told me that I ought to talk seriously to you about it, and get you to realize what a golden future is before you.  For it is really true, Helen, as sure as you can trust what I know about the world, that you can have absolutely anything that you want.  That is the long and short of the matter—­anything that you want!  And why should you not have the very best that life can give you?  Why should you have to know that other people dwell in finer houses than yours, and are free from cares that make you ill?  Why should you have the humiliation of being looked down upon and scorned by other people?  Are these other people more entitled to luxury than you, or more able to enjoy it; or could anyone do it more honor than you?  You are beautiful beyond telling; you have every gift that a woman can ask to complete enjoyment of life; you are perfect, Helen, you are really perfect!  You must know that; you must say it to yourself when you are alone, and know that your life ought to be a queenly triumph.  You have only to stretch out your arms and everything will come to you; and there is really and truly no end to the happiness you can taste.”