"The early masters are now worth a good deal of money," said Madame Merle, "and the daughter＇s a very young and very innocent and very harmless person."
"In other words she＇s an insipid little chit. Is that what you mean? Having no fortune she can＇t hope to marry as they marry here; so that Isabel will have to furnish her either with a maintenance or with a dowry."
"Isabel probably wouldn＇t object to being kind to her. I think she likes the poor child."
"Another reason then for Mr. Osmond＇s stopping at home! Otherwise, a week hence, we shall have my niece arriving at the conviction that her mission in life＇s to prove that a stepmother may sacrifice herself—and that, to prove it, she must first become one."