"Let us go to my room; the storm is so loud this side of the house."
"No; you must stay till the walls tremble. Have you seen, Verry, any work for me to do here?"
"Everything is changed. I have tried to be as steady as when mother was here, but I cannot; I whirl with a vague idea of liberty. Did she keep the family conscience? Now that she has gone I feel responsible no more."
"An idea of responsibility has come to me—what plain people call
Duty."
"I do not feel it," she cried mournfully. "I must yield to you then.
You can be good.'
"I must act so; but help me, Verry; I have contrary desires."
"What do they find to feed on? What are they? Have you your evil spirit?"
"Yes; a devil named Temperament."
"Now teach me, Cassandra."
"Not I. Go, and write Ben. Make excuses for my negligence toward you about his letter. Tell him to come. I shall write Alice and Helen this evening. We have been shut off from the world by the gate of Death; but we must come back."