FAMILY 
337 
It is an essential part of the Rosicrucian system that the 
Adept should "wear the costume of the country in which he 
is travelling." I take this in the widest sense. By that word 
"country" I understand this planet and this social status "to 
which it has pleased God to call me." The Brethren of the 
Rose and Cross deprecated monastic life or hermit life: 
perhaps they thought such expedients cowardly, or at least as 
a confession of weakness. 
I agree. One ought to be able to live the normal life of a 
member of one's class, to all external seeming; at least 
sufficiently so as not to appear unduly eccentric. 
Perhaps "Let my servants be few and secret!" bears some 
such implication. 
But the condition 
of allowing such 
apparent laxity is this: That one should be as swift and terse 
as Trotsky in any similar situation. 
If one's family were reasonable human beings, (But they 
never are, she sighed) one could perhaps do wiseliest by 
explaining the situation. "This Work of mine-you don't 
understand 
it, no need that you should-is 
the only 
important part of my life. I mean to be scrupulously careful 
of your feelings, and I see no reason why my chosen career 
should damage our relations. There is only one thing to 
remember: IF I ever get the faintest suspicion that you are 
opposing me, or condemning my plans, or interfering in any 
way, even with the best intentions , THEN-with a single blow 
I sever our relations, and for ever. 'Well, that's really very 
nice of you, Holy One' you might say; but you are not the 
only one to be considered, what about the Masters? Do they 
ride us on the snaffle? Tradition says not so." 
This depends wholly on you . If you are a quite ordinary 
Aspirant, and a few dozen incarnations one way or the other 
don't make such a difference, then They presumably won't 
bother about you at all. In the course of centuries, Karma 
will roll out the creases. 
But-suppose you are of those specially chosen to execute 
some necessary operation in the course of Their plans? Quite 
another pair of boots to tread that Path. Don't imagine that