Whenyoureflectthattheworldissatisfiedthatmostofman’scriminalinstinctsaretheresultofheredity，andthatMr。NoahandIareunabletoshifttheresponsibilityforposteritytoothershouldersthanourown，youwillunderstandmyposition。Wewereaboutthemostdomesticoldcouplethateverlived，andwhenweseethelongandvariedassortmentofcrimesthatarecroppingouteverywhereinourdescendantsitispainfultoustorealizewhatapairofunconsciouslywickedoldfogieswemusthavebeen。\"
\"Weallunderstandthat，\"saidCleopatra，kindly；\"andweareallpreparedtoacquityouofanyresponsibilityfortheadvancedconditionofwickednessto—day。Manhasprogressedsinceyourtime，mydeargrandma，andthemodernimprovementsinthescienceofcrimearenomoreattributabletoyouthantheinventionofthetelephoneortheoystercocktailisattributabletoyourhusband。\"
\"Thankyoukindly，\"murmuredtheoldlady，andsheresumedherknittinguponaphantomtam—o’—shanter，whichshewasmakingasaChristmassurpriseforherhusband。
\"WhenCaptainKiddbeganhisstory，\"saidCassandra，\"hemadeoneverybadmistake，andyetonewhichwaspromptedbythatcourtesywhichallmeninstinctivelyadoptwhenaddressingwomen。Whenheenteredtheroomheremovedhishat，andthereinlayhisfatalerror，ifhewishedtoconvincemeofthetruthofhisstory，forwithhishatremovedIcouldseetheworkingsofhismind。Whileyouladieswerewatchinghislipsorhiseyes，someofyoutakinginthegorgeousdetailsofhisdress，allofyouhanginguponhiseveryword，Ikeptmyeyefixedfirmlyuponhisimagination，andIsaw，whatyoudidnot，THATHEWASDRAWINGWHOLLYUPONTHAT!\"
\"Howextraordinary!\"criedElizabeth。