There was but small opportunity to cultivate family affinities; they were forever disturbed.

Somebody was always sitting in the laps of our Lares and Penates.

Another class of visitors deserving notice were those who preferred to occupy the kitchen and back chambers, humbly proud and bashfully arrogant people, who kept their hats and bonnets by them, and small bundles, to delude themselves and us with the idea that they "had not come to stay, and had no occasion for any attention." These people criticised us with insinuating severity, and proposed amendments with unrelenting affability.

To this class Veronica was most attracted--it repelled me; consequently she was petted, and I was amiably sneered at.
This period of our family life has left small impression of dramatic interest.

There was no development of the sentiments, no betrayal of the fluctuations of the passions which must have existed.