months before the event the family live in retirement； seeing very
little company。 When the offence is over and done with； it is
condoned by the common want of logic； for this merciful provision
of nature； this buffer against collisions； this friction which
upsets our calculations but without which existence would be
intolerable； this crowning glory of human invention whereby we can
be blind and see at one and the same moment； this blessed
inconsistency； exists here as elsewhere； and though the strictest
writers on morality have maintained that it is wicked for a woman
to have children at all； inasmuch as it is wrong to be out of
health that good may come； yet the necessity of the case has caused
a general feeling in favour of passing over such events in silence；
and of assuming their non…existence except in such flagrant cases
as force themselves on the public notice。 Against these the
condemnation of society is inexorable； and if it is believed that
the illness has been dangerous and protracted； it is almost
impossible for a woman to recover her former position in society。
The above conventions struck me as arbitrary and cruel； but they
put a stop to many fancied ailments； for the situation； so far from
being considered interesting； is looked upon as savouring more or
less distinctly of a very reprehensible condition of things； and
the ladies take care to conceal it as long as they can even from
their own husbands； in anticipation of a severe scolding as soon as
the misdemeanour is discovered。 Also the baby is kept out of
sight； except on the day of signing the birth…formula； until it can
walk and talk。 Should the child unhappily die； a coroner's inquest
is inevitable； but in order to avoid disgracing a family which may
have been hitherto respected； it is almost invariably found that
the child was over seventy…five years old； and died from the decay
of nature。
CHAPTER XIV： MAHAINA
I continued my sojourn with the Nosnibors。 In a few days Mr。
Nosnibor had recovered from his flogging； and was looking forward
with glee to the fact that the next would be the last。 I did not
think that there seemed any occasion even for this； but he said it
was better to be on the safe side； and he would make up the dozen。
He now went to his business as usual； and I understood that he was
never more prosperous； in spite of his heavy fine。 He was unable
to give me much of his time during the day； for he was one of those
valuable men who are paid； not by the year； month； week； or day；
but by the minute。 His wife and daughters； however； made much of
me； and introduced me to their friends； who came in shoals to call
upon me。
One of these persons was a lady called Mahaina。 Zulora （the elder
of my host's daughters） ran up to her and embraced her as soon as
she entered the room； at the same time inquiring tenderly after her
〃poor dipsomania。〃 Mahaina answered that it was just as bad as
ever； she was a perfect martyr to it； and her excellent health was
the only thing which consoled her under her affliction。
Then the other ladies joined in with condolences and the never…
failing suggestions which they had ready for every mental malady。
They recommended their own straightener and disparaged Mahaina's。
Mrs。 Nosnibor had a favourite nostrum； but I could catch little of
its nature。 I heard the words 〃full confidence that the desire to
drink will cease when the formula has been repeated * * * this
confidence is EVERYTHING * * * far from undervaluing a thorough
determination never to touch spirits again * * * fail too often * *
* formula a CERTAIN CURE （with great emphasis） * * * prescribed
form * * * full conviction。〃 The conversation then became more
audible； and was carried on at considerable length。 I should
perplex myself and the reader by endeavouring to follow the
ingenious perversity of all they said； enough； that in the course
of time the visit came to an end； and Mahaina took her leave
receiving affectionate embraces from all the ladies。 I had
remained in the background after the first ceremony of
introduction； for I did not like the looks of Mahaina； and the
conversation displeased me。 When she left the room I had some
consolation in the remarks called forth by her departure。
At first they fell to praising her very demurely。 She was all this
that and the other； till I disliked her more and more at every
word； and inquired how it was that the straighteners had not been
able to cure her as they had cured Mr。 Nosnibor。
There was a shade of significance on Mrs。 Nosnibor's face as I said
this； which seemed to imply that she did not consider Mahaina's
case to be quite one for a straightener。 It flashed across me that
perhaps the poor woman did not drink at all。 I knew that I ought
not to have inquired； but I could not help it； and asked point
blank whether she did or not。
〃We can none of us judge of the condition of other people；〃 said
Mrs。 Nosnibor in a gravely charitable tone and with a look towards
Zulora。
〃Oh； mamma；〃 answered Zulora； pretending to be half angry but
rejoiced at being able to say out what she was already longing to
insinuate； 〃I don't believe a word of it。 It's all indigestion。 I
remember staying in the house with her for a whole month last
summer； and I am sure she never once touched a drop of wine or
spirits。 The fact is； Mahaina is a very weakly girl； and she
pretends to get tipsy in order to win a forbearance from her
friends to which she is not entitled。 She is not strong enough for
her calisthenic exercises； and she knows she would be made to do
them unless her inability was referred to moral causes。〃
Here the younger sister； who was ever sweet and kind； remarked that
she thought Mahaina did tipple occasionally。 〃I also think；〃 she
added； 〃that she sometimes takes poppy juice。〃
〃Well； then； perhaps she does drink sometimes；〃 said Zulora； 〃but
she would make us all think that she does it much oftener in order
to hide her weakness。〃
And so they went on for half an hour and more； bandying about the
question as to how far their late visitor's intemperance was real
or no。 Every now and then they would join in some charitable
commonplace； and would pretend to be all of one mind that Mahaina
was a person whose bodily health would be excellent if it were not
for her unfortunate inability to refrain from excessive drinking；
but as soon as this appeared to be fairly settled they began to be
uncomfortable until they had undone their work and left some
serious imputation upon her constitution。 At last； seeing that the
debate had assumed the character of a cyclone or circular storm；
going round and round and round and round till one could never say
where it began nor where it ended； I made some apology for an
abrupt departure and retired to my own room。
Here at least I was alone； but I was very unhappy。 I had fallen
upon a set of people who； in spite of their high civilisation and
many excellences； had been so warped by the mistaken views
presented to them during childhood from generation to generation；
that it was impossible to see how they could ever clear themselves。
Was there nothing which I could say to make them feel that the
constitution of a person's body was a thing over which he or she
had had at any rate no initial control whatever； while the mind was
a perfectly different thing； and capable of being created anew and
directed according to the pleasure of its possessor？ Could I never
bring them to see that while habits of mind and character were
entirely independent of initial mental force and early education；
the body was so much a creature of parentage and circumstances；
that no punishment for ill…health should be ever tolerated save as
a protection from contagion； and that even where punishment was
inevitable it should be attended with compassion？ Surely； if the
unfortunate Mahaina were to feel that she could avow her bodily
weakness without fear of being despised for her infirmities； and if
there were medical men to whom she could fairly state her case； she
would not hesitate about doing so through the fear of taking nasty
medicine。 It was possible that her malady was incurable （for I had
heard enough to convince me that her dipsomania was only a pretence
and that she was temperate in all her habits）； in that case she
might perhaps be justly subject to annoyances or even to restraint；
but who could say whether she was curable or not； until she was
able to make a clean breast of her symptoms instead of concealing
them？ In their eagerness to stamp out disease； these people
overshot their mark； for people had become so clever at
dissemblingthey painted their faces with such consummate skill
they repaired the decay of time and the effects of mischance with
such profound dissimulationthat it was really impossible to say
whether any one was well or ill till after an intimate acquaintance
of months or years。 Even then the shrewdest were constantly
mistaken in their judgements； and marriages were often contracted
with most deplorable results； owing to the art with which infirmity
had been concealed。
It appeared to me that the first step towards the cure of disease
should be the announcement of the fact to a person's near relations
and friends。 If any one had a headache； he ought to be permitted
within reasonable limits to say so at once； and to retire to his
own bedroom and take a pill； without every one's looking grave and
tears being shed and all the rest of it。 As it was； even upon
hearing it whispered that somebody else was subject to headaches； a
whole company must look as though they had never had a headache in
their lives。 It is true they were not very prevalent； for the
people were the healthiest and most comely imaginable； owing to the
severity with which ill health was treated； still； even the best
were liable to be out of sorts sometimes； and there were few
families that had not a medicine…chest in a cupboard somewhere。
CHAPTER XV： THE MUSICAL BANKS
On my return to the drawing…room； I found that the Mahaina current
had expended itself。 The ladies were just putting away their work
and preparing to go o