“There’s a thing I got to tell you,” he said, trying to be perfectly calm.
“Yes?” she said.
“I’d like to jest discuss your plans a bit, y’know.”
“I’m very unsettled,” said Jessie. “You are thinking of writing Books?”
“Or doing journalism, or teaching, or something like that.”
“And keeping yourself independent of your stepmother?”
“Yes.”
“How long’d it take now, to get anything of that sort to do?”
“I don’t know at all. I believe there are a great many women journalists and sanitary inspectors, and black-and-white artists. But I suppose it takes time. Women, you know, edit most papers nowadays, George Egerton says. I ought, I suppose, to communicate with a literary agent.”
“Of course,” said Hoopdriver, “it’s very suitable work. Not being heavy like the drapery.”
“There’s heavy bra
