It had, in fact, resulted in a
state of nervous irritableness; an outbreak of anger came to her as
a relief, such as Emma had recently found in the shedding of tears.
On her own account she felt strongly, but yet more on Emma's; coarse
methods of revenge naturally suggested themselves to her, and to be
thwarted drove her to exasperation. When Emma persisted in steady
opposition, exerting all the force of her character to subdue her
sister's ignoble purposes, Kate worked herself to frenzy. For more
than an hour her voice was audible in the street, as she poured
forth torrents of furious reproach and menace; all the time Emma
stood patient and undaunted, her own anger often making terrible
struggle for mastery, but ever finding itself subdued. For she, too,
was of a passionate nature, but the treasures of sensibility which
her heart enclosed consecrated all her being to noble ends. One
invaluable aid she had in a contest such as this--her inability to
grow sullen. Righteous anger might gleam in her eyes and quiver upon
her lips, but the fire always burnt clear; it is smoulder that
poisons the air.
She knew her sister, pitied her, always made for her the gentlest
allowances. It would have been easy to stand aside, to disclaim
responsibility, and let Kate do as she chose, but the easy course
was never the one she chose when endurance promised better results.
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