HOME VIRTUES.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Ruskin, John
By the fireside, in the Drawing-room. Evening.
Dora. Now, the curtains are drawn, and the fire's bright and here's your arm-chair—and you're to tell us all about what you promised.
L. All about what?
Dora. All about virtue.
Kathleen. Yes, and about the words that begin with V.
L. I heard you singing about a word that begins with V, in the playground, this morning, Miss Katie.
Kathleen. Me singing?
May. Oh tell us—tell us.
L. 'Vilikens and his——'
Kathleen (stopping his mouth). Oh! please don't. Where were you?
Isabel. I'm sure I wish I had known where he was! We lost him among the rhododendrons, and I don't know where he got to; oh, you naughty—naughty—(climbs on his knee).
Dora. Now, Isabel, we really want to talk.
L. I don't.
Dora. Oh, but you must. You promised, you know.
L. Yes, if all was well; but all's ill. I'm tired, and cross; and I won't.
Dora. You're not a bit tired, and you're not crosser than two sticks; and we'll make you talk, if you were crosser than six. Come here, Egypt; and get on the other side of him.
(Egypt takes up a commanding position near the hearth-brush.)
Dora (reviewing her forces). Now, Lily, come and sit on the rug in front.
(Lily does as she is bid.)
L. (seeing he has no chance against the odds.) Well, well; but I'm really tired. Go and dance a little, first; and let me think.
Dora. No; you mustn't think. You will be wanting to make us think next; that will be tiresome.
L. Well, go and dance first, to get quit of thinking; and then I'll talk as long as you like.
Dora. Oh, but we can't dance to-night. There isn't time; and we want to hear about virtue.
L. Let me see a little of it first. Dancing is the first of girl's virtues.
Egypt. Indeed! And the second?
L. Dressing.
Egypt. Now, you needn't say that! I mended that tear the first thing before breakfast this morning.
L. I cannot otherwise express the ethical principle, Egypt; whether you have mended your gown or not.
Dora. Now don't be tiresome. We really must hear about virtue, please; seriously.
L. Well. I'm telling you about it, as fast as I can.
Dora. What! the first of girls' virtues is dancing?
L. More accurately, it is wishing to dance, and not wishing to tease, nor hear about virtue.
Dora (to Egypt). Isn't he cross?
Egypt. How many balls must we go to in the season, to be perfectly virtuous?
L. As many as you can without losing your colour. But I did not say you should wish to go to balls. I said you should be always wanting to dance.
Egypt. So we do; but everybody says it is very wrong.
L. Why, Egypt, I thought—
'There was a lady once, That would not be a queen,—that would she not, For all the mud in Egypt.'
You were complaining the other day of having to go out a great deal oftener than you liked.
Egypt. Yes, so I was; but then, it isn't to dance. There's no room to dance: it's—(Pausing to consider what it is for).