'Twas a man she wanted, 'twas a child he
wanted, and there they were wantin', and me atin' my heart out with
passion and pride and shame and sorrow. There was he wantin' a child, and
the girl wantin' a man, and I only wantin' what God should grant all
women that give themselves to a man's arms after the priest has blessed
them. And whin all was at the worst, and it looked as if he was away with
her--the girl yonder--then two things happened. A man--he was me own
brother and a millionaire if I do say it--he took her and married her;
and then, too, Heaven's will sent this child's mother to her last end and
the child itself to my Nolan's arms. To my husband's arms first it came,
you understand; and he give the child to me, as it should be, and said
he, 'We'll make believe it is our own.' But I said to him, 'There's no
make-believe. 'Tis mine. 'Tis mine. It came to me out of the storm from
the hand of God.' And so it was and is; and all's well here in the home,
praise be to God. And listen to me: you'll not come here to take the
child away from me. It can't be done. I'll not have it. Yes, you can let
that sink down into you--I'll not have it."
During her passionate and defiant appeal Jean Jacques was restless with
the old unrest of years ago, and his face twitched with emotion; but
before she had finished he had himself in some sort of control.
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