ar brothers, is this irony, this fault-finding
tone, usual among us? Has it become a custom for the brothers and
sisters to carp and cavil at one another--and even for Mamma to cavil at
her children--as I have heard you all do to-night? Does each of us
criticize the other in a general cross-fire of criticism? I heard
something of the kind at Bertha's party; but is there really nothing
good here to-night? I feel bound to tell you I think you very petty,
provincial, narrow-minded and cliquey: even you, Paul, for all your
philosophy! You, Gerrit, are afraid of demeaning yourself by allowing
yourself to be introduced to a few of Dijkerhof's uncles and aunts, whom
perhaps you won't see three times again as long as you live; and, as for
you, Paul, why are you so spiteful in your comments on absolute
strangers who don't eat a cake in the exact way which you approve of? I
think Uncle Ruyvenaer ridiculous: he's not particularly well-bred
himself and he sneers at the breeding of Van Saetzema's friends; I think
Cateau ridiculous: she hasn't the faintest pretensions to smartness,
though her clothes may be good and substantial, and she criticizes
Adolphine's smartness...."

"O dear, gentle soul!" said Paul, affectedly, and took Constance' hand.
"O proud and noble one! O heroine in a sacred cause! You are a
revelation to me! How broad are the principles which you proclaim, how
great your tolerance! It is terrible! Only you, you dear, gentle soul,
are not so sparing of the criticism which you criticize in us."

"Very well, I criticized you, for once; but you're criticizing others
everlastingly."

"No, not quite; but we're only very small people and we think it fun to
pass remarks on others," said Gerrit.

"I am a very small person, like yourselves. I have never met big people,
in our 'set,'" said Constance, with a sneer. "What is any one in our set
_but_ small?"

"Good!" said Paul. "Well done! You got that from me. But proceed, my
fond disciple!"

"I am frightened!" said Constance, earnestly. "You think I am only just
exciting myself a little, but I'm frightened, I'm simply frightened. I
hear so much criticism from the mouths of my relations on every side,
criticism on a dress, on an evening-party, on a couple of utter
strangers who happen to be friends of my sister's, that I am frightened
of the criticism of my relations concerning myself, myself in whom there
is so much to criticize."

"Come, Sis!" said Gerrit, good-natured