But Ayala could not be brought to look at the matter with her aunt's
eyes. When her aunt pressed her for an answer which should convey
her consent she would give none, and at last left the room bitterly
sobbing. Turning the matter over in her own bosom upstairs she
determined to be mutinous. No doubt she owed a certain amount of
obedience to her aunt; but had she not been obedient, had she
not worked hard and lugged about that basket of provisions, and
endeavoured to take an interest in all her aunt's concerns? Was she
so absolutely the property of her aunt that she was bound to do
everything her aunt desired to the utter annihilation of all her
hopes, to the extermination of her promised joys? She felt that she
had succeeded in Brook Street. She had met no Angel of Light, but she
was associated with people whom she had liked, and had been talked to
by those to whom it had been a pleasure to listen. That colonel with
the quaint name and the ugly face was still present to her memory
as he had leaned over her shoulder at the theatre, making her now
laugh by his drollery, and now filling her mind with interest by his
description of the scenes which she was seeing. She was sure that
all this, or something of the same nature, would be renewed for her
delight at Stalham. And was she to be robbed of this,--the only
pleasure which seemed to remain to her in this world,--merely because
her aunt chose to entertain severe notions as to duty and pleasure?
Other girls went out when they were asked. At Rome, when that
question of the dance at the Marchesa's had been discussed, she had
had her own way in opposition to her Aunt Emmeline and her cousin
Augusta. No doubt she had, in consequence partly of her conduct on
that occasion, been turned out of her Uncle Tom's house; but of that
she did not think at the present moment. She would be mutinous, and
would appeal to her Uncle Reginald for assistance.

But the letter which contained the real invitation had been addressed
to her aunt, and her aunt could in truth answer it as she pleased.
The answer might at this moment be in the act of being written, and
should it be averse Ayala knew very well that she could not go in
opposition to it. And yet her aunt came to her in the afternoon
consulting her again, quite unconquered as to her own opinion, but
still evidently unwilling to write the fatal letter without Ayala's
permission. Then Ayala assured herself that she had rights of her
ow