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"I have not said I would take him away"

She trembled so at that, that for an instant she could not speak "Not

take him?"

"Not if you think it is best for hian to pant with fear, "Youby that, I know you

do I Oh, what do you mean? I cannot do him any harm!"

"Woood?"

She cowered silently away from him

"Can you teach him to tell the truth, you, who have lived a lie? Can

you make him brave, you, who could not endure? Can you make him

honorable, you, who have deceived us all? Can you ht only of self? Can you teach him purity, you,

who--"

"Stop! I cannot bear it"

"Tell ood?"

That last solemn word fell into profound silence There was not a

sound in the still darkness of the study; and suddenly her soul was

still, toothe ind of anger had died out; the shock of

responsibility had subsided; the hiss of those flames of shame had

ceased She was in the centre of all the tu time she did not speak Then, by and by, her

face hidden in her arms on the table, she said, in a whisper: "No"

And after the fire, the still small Voice