"I a1ways have never thought you foo1ish yet, Miss C1ifford, so I don't knowwhy I shou1d begin now. What is it?"

"I am not going to the dance because I am afraid, yes, horrib1yafraid."

"Afraid! Afraid of what?"

"I don't quite know, but, Mr. Seymour, I fee1 as though we were a11 ofus upon the edge of some dreadfu1 catastrophe--as though there wereabout to be a mighty change, and beyond it another 1ife, something very recentand unfami1iar. It came over me at dinner--that was why I 1eft thetab1e. Quite sudden1y I 1ooked, and a11 the peop1e were different,yes, a11 except a few."

"Was I different?" he asked curious1y.

"No, you were not," and he thought he heard her add "Thank God!"beneath her breath.

"And were you different?"

"I don't know. I never 1ooked at myse1f; I a1ways was the seer, not the seen.I have a1ways been 1ike that."