Chapter 90 "Miss Price, your..."
"Miss Price, how is your magazine coming along? I heard you hired a new editor-in-chief."
“Yes, the previous editor-in-chief was too outdated. This magazine was founded for women. No lady opens a magazine expecting moralizing; they need practical life guidance.” Mary smiled. “I don’t think you’ll mind.”
"Of course not, I would do the same."
“If it were you, no, even any man, that editor-in-chief wouldn’t have dared to contradict the newspaper’s management’s reasonable suggestions.” Mary knew that the editor-in-chief’s fundamental reason for opposing her was that she was a woman. “He thought I wouldn’t dare to fire him and mistook my politeness for weakness.”
To the delight of all newspaper founders, in 1823, the British government finally abolished censorship of publications, taking a major step towards press freedom. This prompted Mary to change her mind about being a writer and decide to start a publication.
The Duke of Devonshire's newspaper provided Mary with a good platform to start her magazine. Although the newspaper's circulation wasn't great, the Duke's backing ensured that the newspaper had a very complete distribution channel. What was particularly valuable was that the Duke offered only 40% of the shares, a price that no other newspaper would offer.
She plans to use this fashion magazine to promote the idea that women can wear looser, simpler, and more convenient clothing, starting with women's fashion. Excessive restriction goes against human nature. Mary hopes that one day, the magazine will feature images of women wearing trousers, and that this style will win the support of women.
Unfortunately, the newspaper's original editor-in-chief couldn't accept a woman having her own ideas about the magazine. Even after Mary explained the rationale behind her suggestions, he still refused to implement the advice of an "irrational and ignorant woman," so it was only natural that he was replaced.
William Cavendish learned of this through the manager he had sent. While Mary's decisive decision to fire the editor might not have met societal expectations of women, William became increasingly convinced that he hadn't misjudged Miss Price. A girl who had started a factory with her brother in her early teens had clearly achieved her success not solely through kindness.
“There are always people who have this naive idea that even figures like my mother, the Viscountess of Melbourne, are still believed by men to have won everything simply because of their beauty. Clearly, this is a disrespect for women’s intelligence.”
William Cavendish had seen many formidable women since childhood, women who seemed to rely on men but actually treated them merely as necessary ornaments. After meeting Earl Grey, he realized that his mother loved not so much the man as she loved the freedom to control her own emotions.
After reuniting with Mary, he realized even more that this girl was more special than his mother, the Viscountess of Melbourne, and other women. Because Mary Price felt she didn't need a figurehead; she wanted to get everything she wanted through her own efforts, just like a man.
For Mary, the Duchess of Devonshire title was certainly not a necessity, so it was perfectly reasonable for Miss Price to refuse him. Three years later, William Cavendish finally realized the mistake he had made in proposing; he had overestimated his own worth.
Mary recognized the respect shown by the Duke of Devonshire and probed further: "This may not be something that can be changed in a short time, but I believe that there will always be people who stand up and fight for women to get the rights they deserve."
"Do you agree with Mary Wollstonecraft's theory?"
"Without a doubt, any woman should agree with her, because she is fighting for the rights of all women. Those who oppose her, if they are women, are undoubtedly foolish; if they are men, they are malicious. After all, if there is anything that men have but women are not allowed to have, then there is no doubt that it is something that women should fight for."
Mary paused for a moment, then added, "Mary Wollstonecraft's most regrettable mistake was her choice of love. If only she had maintained a platonic relationship and not had children, those two pregnancies undoubtedly ruined her life. In this respect, men have a natural advantage; they can have children without paying any price."
Upon hearing this, William Cavendish asked in surprise, "Miss Price, aren't your brother and sister-in-law's marriages very happy? I didn't expect you to have such strong opinions about traditional marriages."
This truly surprised William Cavendish. His aversion to marriage stemmed from the aristocratic marriages around him that disregarded feelings, and from family models that treated people as tools for procreation and inheritance. He had never imagined that Miss Price would actually reject marriage and procreation.
"What reason is there for me to approve of this? In traditional marriage, what is the difference between a wife and a husband's slave? She finds herself a master and then risks her life to bear children for this master. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Mary decided to confide in His Highness the Duke, even if he saw her as a monster. As she grew wealthier, she didn't experience the freedom that money brought; instead, she felt increasingly constrained by high society. Mary longed to be her true self, even if it meant being seen as a social rebel.
Upon hearing this, William Cavendish fell silent; he had never considered the issue from this perspective before. It turned out that Mary viewed marriage and childbirth in this way—as a form of oppression and cruelty towards women.
It's worth noting that even he believed childbearing was a woman's natural duty, and even when proposing, he naturally assumed that Miss Mary Price would want to have children after marriage, which made him hesitant. In retrospect, his hesitation at the time was utterly ridiculous.
His reason was reminding him that Mary Price's ideas were far too dangerous, and that her views on marriage were far more radical than his own.
“Miss Price, there are still people like your brother who marry for love. We can’t condemn everyone just because some people see marriage as an exchange or a transaction! Most British gentlemen still respect their wives.”
"I admit there are some happy and fulfilling examples around me, but I don't know if it's because of the husband's respect for the wife or the wife's tolerance for the husband. What's the difference between most marriages and what I just described? When defining something, shouldn't we judge it based on the majority rather than the minority?"
Noticing that Mary was a little agitated, William smiled and said in an attempt to ease the tension, "Miss Price, I used to think I was part of the rebellious minority, but after hearing your opinion, I realize that people like me who think having children is unnecessary are actually worthy of praise?"
"You don't want to have children?" Mary thought with a hint of surprise and joy, realizing that this duke had remained single his entire life because he didn't want to have children.
“Yes.” William Cavendish looked at his sister Georgiana, who was chatting happily with Lady Cavendish, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips. “Perhaps my family now hopes that I have no children.”
Mary followed the prince's gaze and saw Countess Carlisle. Unfortunately, she was unaware of the later history of the Cavendish family and failed to grasp the meaning behind the duke's words.
She calmed down and said, "I think everyone, regardless of gender, has the freedom to decide whether or not to have children. Not wanting to have children is my personal choice, and it doesn't mean that I think this choice is anything to praise. Just like my married brothers and sisters have children, I don't think they are any of the right ones."
This was the first time Mary and William Cavendish had talked so deeply. They exchanged views on marriage, family, and childbirth. Mary had never even talked to Anne or Susan in such detail.
Time passed by unnoticed as everyone chatted and played, and then the dinner began.
The guests took their seats in the dining room, and a sumptuous dinner was served on exquisite silver platters by servants. Even the caviar from Tsarist Russia seemed rather ordinary on the table today. The final fruit and dessert served as a small surprise, with guests enjoying tropical pineapple.
This sweet fruit was far more expensive than Mary had imagined, and in the past it was even used as a display of wealth; many people wouldn't actually cut it open and eat it. Of course, for the Duke of Devonshire, it was simply a fruit to surprise his guests.
After dinner, some suggested playing cards and pinball. Some of the men went to the recreation room, and fewer and fewer people stayed in the living room to chat.
Soon, some people got bored and suggested that Miss Price perform some music. Mary didn't feel the need to show off and wanted to simply decline.
At this point, Lady Cavendish said, “Miss Price, who is your governess? Let us see her teaching abilities. Some young ladies these days don’t teach properly at all; instead, they have other ideas to deceive the mistresses who employ them.”
“I was educated at a girls’ school and didn’t have a tutor. By the way, I think almost all the female teachers I met were very good; they were very responsible towards their students.” As Mary spoke, she walked to the piano and played Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
Strictly speaking, Mary's musical talent was somewhat average; she didn't play the piano as well as Miss Marian Dashwood of Devonshire. However, compared to some so-called talented women in high society who only focused on fingering techniques, Mary's playing was more expressive and won the applause of her audience.
Only Lady Cavendish grumbled somewhat discontentedly to Countess Carlisle: "It's astonishing that a family that can't even afford a governess is here. This would never have happened when my aunt was alive. I think she played very poorly, far worse than Caroline and Harriet."
Countess Carlyle did not respond; she still harbored prejudice against Miss Price, but the upbringing she had received from her mother, Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, prevented her from hypocritically criticizing how poorly Miss Price played.
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