This remark conveyed no meaning to my mind, yet something within me vibrated in sympathy to her mood, so that for a short time I sat spellbound, caring only to enjoy the subtle delight of feeling what I didn't comprehend. I remembered, years before, in a lecture on mental phenomena, hearing the difference between perception and apperception explained so minutely that my brain swiftly convoluted whenever I tried to recall the distinction; now it was clear. Marion and Aunt Sophy had apperceived together--_I_ was apperceiving. There was an inner circle, and I was of it; yet in the midst of my enjoyment my material mind somehow detached itself, reaching out longingly for more. "You settled it?" I suggested, in a reverent whisper. "I did," she replied softly. My mind was a yawning void, except for the intrusive suggestion of coffee, plainly absurd, yet some instinct warned me to avoid abruptness. "Was she willing to--to--?" I ventured. "Willing!--_willing!_--I should think so. But I know exactly how she felt. Her mind was really made up, I think, though she didn't know it. I could see that although she _thought_ she wanted my advice she would have been heartbroken if I had advised her _not_ to do it, and I knew that what she needed was my encouragement, so--I--I----" "You encouraged her," I cried, with sudden inspiration. "Why, of course I did. She was so grateful that she just threw her arms about me and--" Marion choked with emotion and stopped to wipe away her joyful tears. I began to feel distracted, but with an effort I focussed my mind on the main point, setting aside as unimportant a doubt as to what Aunt Sophy had done or said after she had embraced her niece. "What disturbed her mind before you settled it?" I asked. "She was afraid that I--that people might think her old and foolish." "And you made her believe that she was--I mean, wasn't?" "Yes, and I told her that you had often said that people ought to consider it a duty to--to live so that--that they would enjoy the companionship of suitable companions when--they got up in years, and that an elderly person living around among relatives was to be pitied."