an you have, and I tell you plainly I think
little of your choice; whatever sorrow comes of it, mind this: I
didn't give you leave to make it."

"Nor did I ask your leave, aunt; each heart knows its own; but you
have a way to throw cold water upon every hope."

"There are hopes I wish at the bottom of the sea. To be sure, when
ill is fated some one must speak the words that bring it about;
but I wish it had been any other but myself who wrote, 'Come to
Lerwick'; for I little thought I was writing, 'Come to Liot Borson.'
As every one knows, he is the son of unlucky folk; from father to
son nothing goes well with them."

"I will put my luck to his, and you will learn to think better of
Liot for my sake, aunt."

"Not while my life-days last! That is a naked say, and there's no
more to it."

Matilda's dislike, however, did not seriously interfere with Liot's
and Karen's happiness. It was more passive than active; it was more
virulent when he was absent than when he was present; and all winter
she suffered him to visit at her house. These visits had various
fortunes, but, good or bad, the season wore away with them; and as
soon as April came Liot began to build his house. Matilda scoffed
at his hurry. "Does he think," she cried, "that he can marry Karen
Sabiston when he lists to? Till you are twenty-one you are in my
charge, and I will take care to prevent such folly as long as I can."

"Well, then, aunt, I shall be of age and my own mistress next
Christmas, and on Uphellya night[1] I will be married to Liot."

"After that we shall have nothing to say to each other."

"It will not be my fault."

"It will be my will. However, if you are in love with ill luck and
fated for Liot Borson, you must dree your destiny; and Liot does well
to build his home, for he shall not wive himself out of my walls."

"It will be more shame to you than to me, aunt, if I am not married
from your house; also, people will speak evil of you."

"That is to be expected; but I will not be so ill to myself as to
make a feast for a man I hate. However, there are eight months before
Uphellya, and many chances and changes may come in eight months."

The words were a prophecy. As Matilda uttered them Thora Fay entered
the room, all aglow with excitement. "There is a new ship in the
harbor!" she cried. "She is called the _Frigate Bird_, and she has
silk and linen and gold ornaments for sale, besides tea and coffee
and the finest of spirits. As