But with me it is different. I have staked my
pride on proving to your father that he is wrong; and now that I am
at the head of a flourishing business, I can deal with him as an
equal. I have a capital plan--do let me go at him!"
He stood before her with his bright face, his jaunty air, his hands
in his pockets; and she got up, with her eyes resting on his own.
"Please don't, Morris; please don't," she said; and there was a
certain mild, sad firmness in her tone which he heard for the first
time. "We must ask no favours of him--we must ask nothing more. He
won't relent, and nothing good will come of it. I know it now--I
have a very good reason."
"And pray; what is your reason?"
She hesitated to bring it out, but at last it came. "He is not very
fond of me!"
"Oh, bother!" cried Morris angrily.
"I wouldn't say such a thing without being sure. I saw it, I felt
it, in England, just before he came away. He talked to me one night-
-the last night; and then it came over me. You can tell when a
person feels that way. I wouldn't accuse him if he hadn't made me
feel that way. I don't accuse him; I just tell you that that's how
it is. He can't help it; we can't govern our affections. Do I
govern mine? mightn't he say that to me? It's because he is so fond
of my mother, whom we lost so long ago. She was beautiful, and very,
very brilliant; he is always thinking of her.
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