They would, for instance, keep watch on her serving, and,
as soon as the customer was gone, would find open fault with this
or that she had said or done. But even this was comparatively
endurable: when they advanced to the insolence of doing the same
in the presence of the customer, she found it more than she could
bear with even a show of equanimity. She did her best, however;
and for some time things went on without any symptom of
approaching crisis. But it was impossible this should continue;
for, had she been capable of endless endurance, her persecutors
would only have gone on to worse. But Mary was naturally quick-
tempered, and the chief trouble they caused her was the control
of her temper; for, although she had early come to recognize the
imperative duty of this branch of self-government, she was not
yet perfect in it. Not every one who can serve unboundedly can
endure patiently; and the more gentle some natures, the more they
resent the rudeness which springs from an opposite nature;
absolutely courteous, they flame at discourtesy, and thus lack of
the perfection to which patience would and must raise them. When
Turnbull, in the narrow space behind the counter, would push his
way past her without other pretense of apology than something
like a sneer, she did feel for a moment as if evil were about to
have the victory over her; and when Mrs.
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