'My mistress.'
'Do his bidding. By reflection he has made me infamous to the world; and I will make him infamous to it. Listen, and do not delude thyself that I am crazy. Go up to yonder room' (pointing upward), 'and remove every article in it, and where he bid thee set down the chest and trunks, there set down all the contents of that room.'
''Twas before the house—this house!'
'And if it had not been there, I would not order thee to put them there. Dunce! I would have the world know that I disown and scorn him! Do my bidding!—Stay. Let the room stand; but take him what he asks for.'
'I will, my mistress.'
As Dates left the chamber, Mrs. Glendinning again paced it swiftly, and again swiftly muttered: 'Now, if I were less a strong and haughty woman, the fit would have gone by ere now. But deep volcanoes long burn, ere they burn out.—Oh, that the world were made of such malleable stuff, that we could recklessly do our fieriest heart's-wish before it, and not falter. Accursed be those four syllables of sound which make up that vile word Propriety. It is a chain and bell to drag;—drag? what sound is that? there's dragging—his trunks—the traveller's—dragging out. Oh would I could so drag my heart, as fishers for the drowned do, as that I might drag up my sunken happiness! Boy! boy! worse than brought in dripping drowned to me,—drowned in icy infamy! Oh! oh! oh!'
She threw herself upon the bed, covered her face, and lay motionless. But suddenly rose again, and hurriedly rang the bell.
'Open that desk, and draw the stand to me. Now wait and take this to Miss Lucy.'
