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two mortal hours she had to sit and endure! Mr. Cuthbert never
spoke to her; her neighbor on the other side glanced at her
furtively from time to time, but preserved a stony silence; there
was an uncomfortable cloud on her hostess's brow; while her aunt,
whom she could see at some distance on the other side of the table,
looked very white and wretched.
It is wonderful how rude people can be, even in good society, and
the looks of blank amaze, cold surprise, and cool curiosity
which Erica received would hardly be credited. A greater purgatory
to a sensitive girl, whose pride was by no means conquered, can
hardly be conceived.
She choked down a little food, unable to reject everything, but her
throat almost refused to swallow it. The glare of the lights, the
oppressive atmosphere, the babel of tongues seemed to beat upon her
brain, and a sick longing for home almost overmastered her. Oh, to
get away from these socalled Christians, with their cruel
judgments, their luxuries, their gayeties these hard, rich bigots,
who yet belonged to the body she had just joined, with who, in the
eyes of her old friends, she should be identified! Oh, for the
dear old booklined study at home! For one moment with her father!
One word from a being who loved and trusted her! Tears started to
her eyes, but the recollection that even home was no longer a place
of refuge checked them. There would be Aunt Jean's wearing
remonstrances and sarcastic remarks; there would be Mr. Masterman's
patronizing contempt, and Tom's studious avoidance of the matters
she had most at heart. Was it worse to be treated as a
wellmeaning idiot, or as an outcast and semiheretic? Never till
now had she so thoroughly realized her isolation, and she felt so
bruised and buffeted and weary that the realization at that
particular time was doubly trying.
Isolation is perhaps the greatest of all trials to a sensitive and
warmhearted nature, and nothing but the truest and deepest love
for the whole race can possibly keep an isolated person from
growing bitter. Erica knew this, had known it ever since Brian had
brought her the message from her mother; It is only love that can
keep from bitterness. All through these years she had been
struggling hard, and though there had been constant temptations,
though the harshness of the bigoted, the insults offered to her
father in the name of religion, the countless slights and slanders
had tried her to the utmost, she had still struggled upward, and in
spite of all had grown in love. But now, for the first time, she
found herself completely isolated. The injustice, the hardness of
it proved too much for her. She forgot that those who would be

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