Quote 1
Mrs. Joram tossed her head, endeavouring to be very stern and cross; but she could not command her softer self, and began to cry. I was young, to be sure; but I thought much the better of her for this sympathy, and fancied it became her, as a virtuous wife and mother, very well indeed.
"What will she ever do!" sobbed Minnie. "Where will she go! What will become of her! Oh, how could she be so cruel, to herself and him!" (32.38-9)
When David visits Mr. Omer's shop after Emily runs away, he finds Minnie initially willing to say terrible things about Emily. But her natural sympathy soon overcomes her, and she starts to cry on Emily's behalf. This bit about Minnie as a "virtuous wife and mother" is particularly interesting, though – it seems to be a moment when David is addressing the audience directly, to reassure us that, even if we are virtuous wives and mothers, we can still sympathize with fallen women without compromising ourselves. Obviously, this possibility is serious business, because we see how much Ham and Mr. Peggotty disapprove of Emily meeting Martha Endell before Emily runs away – as though Martha Endell could infect Emily with sexual desire.