All the same, however, there were other things; and they all together held for a moment her fancy.

"Does crystal then break--when it IS crystal?
I thought its beauty was its hardness." Her friend, in his way, discriminated.

"Its beauty is its BEING crystal.
But its hardness is certainly, its safety.

It doesn't break," he went on, "like vile glass.

It splits--if there is a split." "Ah!"-- Charlotte breathed with interest.