“Exactly!” cried Corona, stretching out her hands. “That is the very word—associate hermits. My dear friends, from to-morrow morning, until we leave here, let us be associate hermits. Let us live for ourselves, be true to ourselves. After all, if we think of it seriously, ourselves are all that we have in this world. Everything else may be taken from us, but no one can take from me, myself, or from any one of you, yourself.”
The bishop now rose. He as well as the others had listened attentively to everything that had been said; even Arthur Raybold had shown a great deal of interest in his sister’s remarks.
“You mean,” said the bishop, “that while we stay here each one of us shall act exactly as we think we ought to act if we were not influenced by the opinions and examples of others around us, and thus we shall have an opportunity to find out for ourselves and show others exactly what we are.”
“That is it,” said Corona, “you have stated it very well.”
“Well, then,” said the bishop, “I move that for the time stated we individually assert our individuality.”
“Second the motion,” said Mr. Archibald.
“All in favor of this motion please say ‘Aye,’” said Corona. “Now let everybody vote, and I hope you will all say ‘Aye,’ and if any one does not understand, I will be happy to explain.”
“I want to know,” said Phil Matlack, rising, “if one man asserts what you call his individ’ality in such a way that it runs up agin another man’s, and that second man ain’t inclined to stand it, if that—”
“Oh, I assure you,” interrupted the bishop, “that that will be all right. I understand you perfectly, and the individualities will all run along together without interfering with each other, and if one happens to get in the way of another it will be gently moved aside.”
“Gently!” said Matlack, somewhat satirically. “Well, all right, it will be moved aside. I am satisfied, if the rest are.”