Paulina Maria had never labored under conviction of sin; she had had no orthodox conversion; but she set her slim unswerving feet in the paths of righteousness, and walked there with her head up.

In her the uncompromising spirit of Puritanism was so strong that it defeated its own ends.

The other women were at times inflexible; Paulina Maria was always rigid.

The others could be severe; Paulina Maria might have conducted an inquisition.

She had in her possibilities of almost mechanical relentlessness which had never been tested in her simple village life.