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Hichens, Robert Smythe, 1864-1950

"A Spirit in Prison"

Even a faithful servant cannot be more
than a friend.
There is one thing that is great, whose greatness makes the smallness
of all the other things. And so Hermione said, "the little that I
have," and there was truth in it. And there was as vital a truth in
the fact of her whole nature recognizing that little's enormous value
to her. Not for a moment did she underrate her possession. Indeed, she
had to fight against the tendency to exaggeration. Her intellect said
to her that, in being so deeply moved by such a thing as the
concealment from her by Vere of something innocent of which Emile
knew, she was making a water drop into an ocean. Her intellect said
that. But her heart said no.
And the voice of her intellect sank away like the frailest echo that
ever raised its spectral imitation of a reality. And the voice of her
heart rang out till it filled her world.
And so the argument was over.
She thought she heard a step below, and looked out of the window into
the sunshine.


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