nd I felt more
strongly than at any moment before that the door of the past was
irrevocably closed between us.

I sate down at the table, but she remained standing, and folding
her hands, repeated a long grace. It was so utterly strange, so
utterly foreign to all I had ever known of her, that it deepened
the impression tenfold that I belonged to a world apart from hers.
In a sense it shocked my feeling of what was proper. Her Protestantism
had never been any barrier in our life together, for I have known
too many different ways to happiness not to believe there may be
more than one to heaven. I have known too many devout Protestants
to have a shadow of doubt as to their sincerity; but I have always
been a believer in the established order of things, and for a woman
to take any part in matters religious, beyond teaching her children
their hymns and prayers, was foreign to my experience.

We ate our breakfast to the accompaniment of the boy's chatter,
and if there were any embarrassment, I am free to confess it was
on my side alone. I could perfectly understand her courage and
resolution of the night before, but this wonderful acting was simply
marvellous; it was, as far as I knew, no more possible to the Lucy
I had known than talking Castilian; but, upon my soul, I never
admired her more in my life. This, however, I took good care not
to shew in word or gesture: if she had so utterly renounced all
vanities and pomps, why should she have the incense of admiration?
She would probably consider it an offering to idols.

"Mistress Routh, if my presence will not discommode you, I purpose
to lie quiet for a day or two, until I can get such clothes as may
serve both as a change of character and a more fitting appearance
for myself. Do you happen to know of so rare a bird as a periwig-maker
who can keep his counsel? If I could have such an one attend me
here, I could at least do away with this lanky hair and fit myself
to a decent wig; then I could venture out under cover of a cloak,
and find a tailor to complete the transformation. But I take it
you may know but little of these manlike fripperies."

"I do know a man who may be trusted, who, though a member of our
Society, is forced to gain his living by like vanities," she
returned.

"Madam," said I, "you evidently do not estimate the quality of
vanity at its proper value. Now I hold it in reality to be the
eighth of the Cardinal Virtues. I have known it to keep men from