"I think you are the most charming woman I ever met in my life," replied Cecil; and at the moment, and for at least five minutes afterward, he really believed what he said. "Thank you; but you think me too fond of dominating other people, all the same." "Don't say that; I could not think any evil of you, and it hurts me to hear you even suggest that I could. But perhaps it surprises me that so large-hearted a woman as yourself should invariably look at things from the subjective point of view, as I am sure you do." "Right again, Mr. Farquhar; you really are very clever at reading people." Cecil corrected her. "At reading you, you mean; you are not 'people,' if you please. But tell me the truth: when you look at yourself from the outside (which I know you are fond of doing, as I am fond of doing), doesn't it surprise you to see as gifted a woman as you must know you are, so much more prone to measure your influence upon your surroundings than their influence upon you; and, measuring, to allow for it?" "Nothing that a woman does ever surprises me; and that the woman happens to be one's self is a mere matter of detail." "That is a quibble, dear lady. Please answer my question." Elisabeth drew her eyebrows together with a puzzled expression. "I don't think it does surprise me, because my influence on my surroundings is greater than their influence on me. You, too, are a creator; and you must know the almost god-like joy of making something out of nothing, and seeing that it is good. It seems to me that when once you have tasted that joy, you can never again doubt that you yourself are stronger than anything outside you; and that, as the Apostle said, 'all things are yours.'" "Yes; I understand that. But there is still a step further--namely, when you become conscious that, strong as you are, there is something stronger than yourself; and that is another person's influence upon you." "I have never felt that," said Elisabeth simply. "Have you never known what it is to find your own individuality swallowed up in other persons' individuality, and your own personality merged in theirs, until--without the slightest conscious unselfishness on your part--you cease to have a will of your own?" "No; and I don't want to know it. I can understand wishing to share one's own principalities and powers with another person; but I can't understand being willing to share another person's principalities and powers." "In short," said Cecil, "you feel that you could love sufficiently to give, but not sufficiently to receive; you would stamp your image and superscription with pleasure upon another person's heart; but you would allow no man to stamp his image and superscription upon yours."