Thus in turn the weak develop
the strong.
For years Miss Anna had sacrificially demeaned herself in the
service of Harriet, who would now have felt herself a recreant
friend unless she had promptly detailed every annoyance of her
life. She would go home, having left behind her the infinite
little swarm of stinging things--having transferred them to the
head of Miss Anna, around which they buzzed until they died.
There was this further peculiarity in Harriet's visits: that the
most important moments were the last; Just as a doctor, after he
has listened to the old story of his patient's symptoms, and has
prescribed and bandaged and patted and soothed, and has reached the
door, turns, and noting a light in the patient's eye hears him make
a remark which shows that all the time he has really been thinking
about something else.
Harriet now showed what was at the bottom of her own mind this
morning:
"What I came to tell you about, Anna, is that for a week life at
home has been unendurable. There is some trouble, some terrible
trouble; and no matter what goes wrong, my mother always holds me
responsible. Positively there are times when I wonder whether I,
without my knowing it, may not be the Origin of Evil."
Miss Anna made no comment, having closed the personal subject, and
Harriet continued:
"It has scarcely been possible for me to stay in the house.
Fortunately mother has been there very little herself. She goes
and goes and drives and drives.
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