I am not at all like
her; Aunt Penniman has told me that. Of course, it isn't my fault;
but neither is it his fault. All I mean is, it's true; and it's a
stronger reason for his never being reconciled than simply his
dislike for you."
"'Simply?'" cried Morris, with a laugh, "I am much obliged for that!"
"I don't mind about his disliking you now; I mind everything less. I
feel differently; I feel separated from my father."
"Upon my word," said Morris, "you are a queer family!"
"Don't say that--don't say anything unkind," the girl entreated.
"You must be very kind to me now, because, Morris--because," and she
hesitated a moment--"because I have done a great deal for you."
"Oh, I know that, my dear!"
She had spoken up to this moment without vehemence or outward sign of
emotion, gently, reasoningly, only trying to explain. But her
emotion had been ineffectually smothered, and it betrayed itself at
last in the trembling of her voice. "It is a great thing to be
separated like that from your father, when you have worshipped him
before. It has made me very unhappy; or it would have made me so if
I didn't love you. You can tell when a person speaks to you as if--
as if--"
"As if what?"
"As if they despised you!" said Catherine passionately. "He spoke
that way the night before we sailed. It wasn't much, but it was
enough, and I thought of it on the voyage, all the time.
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