So begins May Sarton's short, swift blow of a novel, about the powerlessness of the old and the rage it can bring. Tells the story of caroline spencer, a 76-year-old retired schoolteacher, mentally strong but physically ...So begins May Sarton's short, swift blow of a novel, about the powerlessness of the old and the rage it can bring. Tells the story of caroline spencer, a 76-year-old retired schoolteacher, mentally strong but physically frail, who has been moved by relatives into a "Home.