But Mr.Brand, as he stood there looking at her with his small, kind, persistent eyes, represented an immense body of half-obliterated obligations, that were rising again into a certain distinctness.
"You have new interests, new occupations," he went on.

"I don't know that I can say that you have new duties.

We have always old ones, Gertrude," he added.
"Please open the gate, Mr.Brand," she said; and she felt as if, in saying so, she were cowardly and petulant.

But he opened the gate, and allowed her to pass; then he closed it behind himself.

Before she had time to turn away he put out his hand and held her an instant by the wrist.
"I want to say something to you," he said.
"I know what you want to say," she answered.