"Recollect yourself, my girl! You surely forget the presence in which

you stand! Baseness, crime, can never be connected with the name of

Brudenell. But young gentlemen will be young gentlemen, and amuse

themselves with just such credulous fools as you!" said the lady

haughtily.

"Although their amusement ends in the utter ruin of its subject? Do you

not call that a crime?"

"Girl, keep your place, if you please! Twice you have ventured to call

me Mrs. Brudenell. To you I am madam. Twice you have asked me questions.

You are here to answer, not to ask!"

"Pardon me, madam, if I have offended you through my ignorance of

forms," said Nora, bowing with gentle dignity; for somehow or other she

was gaining self-possession every moment.

"Will you answer my questions then; or continue to evade them?"

"I can answer you so far, madam--Mr. Brudenell has never attempted to

amuse himself at the expense of Nora Worth; nor is she one to permit

herself to become the subject of any man's amusement, whether he be

gentle or simple!"

"And yet he visits you daily, and you permit his visits! And this has

gone on for months! You cannot deny it--you do not attempt to deny it!"

She paused, as if waiting some reply; but Nora kept silence.

"And yet you say he is not amusing himself at your expense!"

"He is not, madam; nor would I permit anyone to do so!"

"I do not understand this! Girl! answer me! What are you to my son?"

Nora was silent.

"Answer me!" said the lady severely.

"I cannot, madam! Oh, forgive me, but I cannot answer you!" said Nora.

The lady looked fixedly at her for a few seconds; something in the

girl's appearance startled her; rising, she advanced and pulled the

heavy shawl from Nora's shoulders, and regarded her with an expression

of mingled hauteur, anger, and scorn.

Nora dropped her head upon her breast and covered her blushing face with

both hands.

"I am answered!" said the lady, throwing her shawl upon the floor and

touching the bell rope.

Jovial answered the summons.

"Put this vile creature out of the house, and if she ever dares to show

her face upon these premises again send for a constable and have her

taken up," said Mrs. Brudenell hoarsely and white with suppressed rage,

as she pointed to the shrinking girl before her.

"Come, Miss Nora, honey," whispered the old man kindly, as he picked up

the shawl and put it over her shoulders and took her hand to lead her

from the room; for, ah! old Jovial as well as his fellow-servants had

good cause to know and understand the "white heat" of their mistress'

anger.




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