"Will it do to say that?" said Winthrop looking up.

"Why not?"

"Will it do to confess oneself -- one's freedom of mind --under
the power of _circumstance_, and so not one's own?"

"I must confess it," said Elizabeth, "for it's true, of _me_. I
suppose, not of every one."

"Then you cannot depend upon yourself."

"Well, -- I can't."

He smiled.

"On whom then?"

"On no one! --"

And the blood sprung to her cheeks and the water to her eyes,
with a sudden rush. It seemed that circumstance was not the
only thing too hard for her; feeling had so far the mastery,
for the minute, that her head bent down and she could not at
once raise it up. Rufus walked off to the window, where he
gave his attention to some greenhouse plants; Winthrop stood
still.

"I would give anything in the world," said Elizabeth, lifting
her head and at first humbly and then proudly wiping her tears
away, -- "if I could learn self-control -- to command myself.
Can one do it, Mr. Landholm? -- one with whom it is not born?"

"I believe so."

"After all, you can't tell much about it," said Elizabeth,
"for it belongs to your nature."

"No credit to him," said Rufus returning; -- "it comes of the
stock. An inch of self-control in one not accustomed to it, is
worth more honour than all Governor's, which he can't help."

"I wouldn't give a pin for self-control in one not accustomed
to it!" said Elizabeth; "it is the _habitual_ command over
oneself, that I value."

"No let-up to it?" said Rufus.

"No; -- or only so much as to shew in what strength it exists.
I am glad, for instance, that Washington for once forgot
himself -- or no, he didn't _forget_ himself; but I am glad that
passion got the better of him once. I respect the rest of his
life infinitely more."

"Than that instance?"

"No, no! -- _for_ that instance."

"I am afraid you have a little tendency to hero-worship, Miss
Elizabeth."

"A very safe tendency," said the young lady. "There aren't
many heroes to call it out."

"Living heroes?"

"No, nor dead ones, -- if one could get at more than the great
facts of their lives, which don't shew us the men."

"Then you are of opinion that 'trifles make the sum of human
things?'"

"I don't know what are trifles," said Elizabeth.

"Dere is nozing is no trifle," said Mr. Herder, coming in from
the other room. "Dere is no such thing as trifle. Miss
Elisabet' hang her head a little one side and go softly, -- and
people say