You knew my orders; how did you dare to go in there and get up that riot ?" Hester looked appealing at Hannah; Hannah returned a beseeching look at Hester--neither wanted to dance to this unsympathetic orchestra.

The doctor came to their help.

He said: "Begin, Hester." Fingering at the fringes of her shawl, and with lowered eyes, Hester said, timidly: "We should not have disobeyed for any ordinary cause, but this was vital.

This was a duty.

With a duty one has no choice; one must put all lighter considerations aside and perform it.