"
We drove up the lane and stopped at the yard gate. Harriet opened the
door. I led the small dark figure into the warmth and light of the
kitchen. She stood helplessly holding the baby tight in her arms--as
forlorn and dishevelled a figure as one could well imagine.
"Harriet," I said, "this is Anna Williams."
Harriet gave me her most tremendous look. It seemed to me at that moment
that it wasn't my sister Harriet at all that I was facing, but some
stranger and much greater person than I had ever known. Every man has,
upon occasion, beheld his wife, his sister, his mother even, become
suddenly unknown, suddenly commanding, suddenly greater than himself or
any other man. For a woman possesses the occult power of becoming
instantly, miraculously, the Accumulated and Personified Customs, Morals
and Institutions of the Ages. At this moment, then, I felt myself slowly
but surely shrinking and shriveling up. It is a most uncomfortable
sensation to find one's self face to face with Society-at-Large. Under
such circumstances I always know what to do. I run. So I clapped my hat
on my head, declared that the mare must be unharnessed immediately, and
started for the door. Harriet followed. Once outside she closed the door
behind her.
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