me--

O Spirit! said she; tapping my neck a little too hard. And is it come to
this at last--!

Do you beat me, Bella?

Do you call this beating you? only tapping you shoulder thus, said
she; tapping again more gently--This is what we expected it would come
to--You want to be independent--My father has lived too long for you--!

I was going to speak with vehemence; but she put her handkerchief
before my mouth, very rudely--You have done enough with your pen, mean
listener, as you are!--But know that neither your independent scheme,
nor any of your visiting ones, will be granted you. Take your course,
perverse one! Call in your rake to help you to an independence upon
your parents, and a dependence upon him!--Do so!--Prepare this
moment--resolve what you will take with you--to-morrow you go--depend
upon it to-morrow you go!--No longer shall you stay here, watching
and creeping about to hearken to what people say--'Tis determined,
child!--You go to-morrow--my brother would have come up to tell you so;
but I persuaded him to the contrary--for I know not what had become
of you, if he had--Such a letter! such an insolent, such a
conceited challenger!--O thou vain creature! But prepare yourself, I
say--to-morrow you go--my brother will accept of your bold challenge;
but it must be personal; and at my uncle Antony's--or perhaps at Mr.
Solmes's--

Thus she ran on, almost foaming with passion; till, quite out of
patience, I said, No more of your violence, Bella--Had I known in what
way you designed to come up, you should not have found my chamber-door
open--talk to your servant in this manner. Unlike you, as I bless God I
am, I am nevertheless your sister--and let me tell you, that I won't go
to-morrow, nor next day, nor next day to that--except I am dragged away
by violence.

What! not if your father or mother command it--Girl? said she, intending
another word, by her pause and manner before it came out.

Let it come to that, Bella; then I shall know what to say. But it shall
be from their own mouths, if I do--not from yours, nor you Betty's--And
say another word to me, in this manner, and be the consequence what it
may, I will force myself into their presence; and demand what I have
done to be used thus!

Come along, Child! Come along, Meekness--taking my hand, and leading me
towards the door--Demand it of them now--you'll find both your despised
parents together!--What! does your heart fail you?--for I resisted,
be