\"IthinkConradhadnobusinessthere，oryou，either，Basil，\"saidhiswife。
\"Oh，Idon\'tdefendmyself，\"saidMarch。\"Iwasthereinthecauseofliterarycuriosityandofconjugaldisobedience。ButConrad——yes，hehadsomebusinessthere:itwashisbusinesstosufferthereforthesinsofothers。Isabel，wecan\'tthrowasidethatolddoctrineoftheAtonementyet。ThelifeofChrist，itwasn\'tonlyinhealingthesickandgoingabouttodogood；itwassufferingforthesinsofothers。That\'sasgreatamysteryasthemysteryofdeath。Whyshouldtherebesuchaprincipleintheworld?Butit\'sbeenfelt，andmoreorlessdumbly，blindlyrecognizedeversinceCalvary。Ifwelovemankind，pitythem，weevenwishtosufferforthem。That\'swhathascreatedthereligiousordersinalltimes——thebrotherhoodsandsisterhoodsthatbelongtoourdayasmuchastothemediaevalpast。That\'swhatisdrivingagirllikeMargaretVance，whohaseverythingthattheworldcanofferheryoungbeauty，ontotheworkofaSisterofCharityamongthepoorandthedying。\"
\"Yes，yes!\"criedMrs。March。\"How——howdidshelookthere，Basil?\"Shehadherfemininemisgivings；shewasnotsurebutthegirlwassomethingofaposeuse，andenjoyedthepicturesqueness，aswellasthepain；andshewishedtobeconvincedthatitwasnotso。
\"Well，\"shesaid，whenMarchhadtoldagainthelittletherewastotell，\"IsupposeitmustbeagreattrialtoawomanlikeMrs。Horntohaveherniecegoingthatway。\"
\"ThewayofChrist?\"askedMarch，withasmile。