Hi, Ardith Hinton! -> Alexander Koryagin
I read your message from 24.06.2022 00:15

 ak>>  A pupil must gather all his industry to read it to the
 ak>>  end. ;-)
 AH>            Hmm.  I gather you figured out "industry" although
 AH> there are umpteen definitions for this word in the average desk
 AH> dictionary.  I can see from your excerpt that the author could have
 AH> used words like "industrious", "diligence", and "enthusiasm" but chose
 AH> not to.  Shorter words aren't necessarily easier to interpret than
 AH> longer ones if they're used in unfamiliar ways.  The Victorians often
 AH> used a lot of description & took their time setting the scene.
 AH> Once you get into stories like this, however, there's usually plenty of
 AH> action....  :-)

As for "industry" as "diligence" I've learnt it from a fairy-tale "Beauty and the Beast". :)
-----Beginning of the citation-----
The good merchant was of quite a different opinion; he knew very well
that Beauty outshone her sisters, in her person as well as her mind, and
admired her humility and industry, but above all her humility and
patience; for her sisters not only left her all the work of the house to
do, but insulted her every moment.
----- The end of the citation -----

Bye, Ardith!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2022

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