voices--a purring, mewing manner--suggestive of intuitive kittens.
Both alike had a passion for proselytism. But after that the
differences began. There was a deal more in Mrs. Stapleton besides the
kittenish qualities. She was perfectly capable of delivering a speech
in public; she had written some really well-expressed articles in
various Higher periodicals; and she had a will-power beyond the
ordinary. At the point where Lady Laura began to deprecate and soothe,
Mrs. Stapleton began to clear decks for action, so to speak, to be
incisive, to be fervent, even to be rather eloquent. She kept "dear
Tom," the Colonel, not crushed or beaten, for that was beyond the
power of man to do, but at least silently acquiescent in her program:
he allowed her even to entertain her prophetical friends at his
expense, now and then; and, even when among men, refrained from too
bitter speech. It was said by the Colonel's friends that Mrs. Colonel
had a tongue of her own. Certainly, she ruled her house well and did
her duty; and it was only because of her husband's absence in Scotland
that during this time she was permitting herself the refreshment of a
week or two among the Illuminated.

At about six o'clock Lady Laura announced her intention of retiring
for her evening meditation. Opening out of her bedroom was a small
dressing-room that she had fitted up for this purpose with all the
broad suggestiveness that marks the Higher Thought: decked with
ornaments emblematical of at least three religions, and provided with
a faldstool and an exceedingly easy chair. It was here that she was
accustomed to spend an hour before dinner, with closed eyes,
emancipating herself from the fetters of sense; and rising to a due
appreciation of that Nothingness that was All, from which All came and
to which it retired.