Coming to the point.

When the tide has long been rising the time comes for it to recede.  From the moment of Marian’s awakening to a desire for a better womanhood, she had been under a certain degree of mental excitement and exaltation.  This condition had culminated with the events that wrought up the loyal North into suspense, anguish, and stern, relentless purpose.

While these events had a national and world-wide significance, they also pressed closely, in their consequences, on individual life.  It has been shown how true this was in the experience of Marian.  Her own personal struggle alone, in which she was combating the habits and weakness of the past, would not have been a trivial matter,—­it never is when there is earnest endeavor,—­but, in addition to this, her whole soul had been kindling in sympathy with the patriotic fire that was impelling her dearest friends towards danger and possible death.  Lane’s, Strahan’s, and Blauvelt’s departure, and her father’s peril, had brought her to a point that almost touched the limit of endurance.  Then had come the man whose attentions had been so humiliating to her personally, and who represented to her the genius of the Rebellion that was bringing her such cruel experience.  She saw his spirit of condescension even in his offer of marriage; worse still, she saw that he belittled the conflict in which even her father was risking his life; and her indignation and resentment had burst forth upon him with a power that she could not restrain.

The result had been most unexpected.  Instead of slinking away overwhelmed with shame and confusion, or departing in haughty anger, Merwyn had revealed to her that which is rarely witnessed by any one,—­the awakening of a strong, passionate nature.  In the cynical, polished, self-pleasing youth was something of which she had not dreamed,—­of which he was equally unaware.  Her bitter words pierced through the strata of self-sufficiency and pride that had been accumulating for years.  She stabbed with truth the outer man and slew it, but the inner and possible manhood felt the sharp thrust and sprung up wounded, bleeding, and half desperate with pain.  That which wise and kindly education might have developed was evoked in sudden agony, strong yet helpless, overwhelmed with the humiliating consciousness of what had been, and seeing not the way to what she would honor.  Yet in that supreme moment the instinct asserted itself that she, who had slain his meaner self, had alone the power to impart the impulse toward true manhood and to give the true measure of it.  Hence a declaration so passionate, and an appeal so full of his immense desire and need, that she was frightened, and faltered helplessly.