'I am quite of your father's opinion about that.' 'Do not judge my father by his words, but by his deeds,' said she, with a warning finger upraised; 'and, above all, Cousin Louis, unless you wish to have my life upon your conscience, never let him suspect that I have said a word to set you on your guard.' 'Your life!' I gasped.
'Oh, yes, he would not stick at that!' she cried.

'He killed my mother.
I do not say that he slaughtered her, but I mean that his cold brutality broke her gentle heart.

Now perhaps you begin to understand why I can talk of him in this fashion.' As she spoke I could see the secret broodings of years, the bitter resentments crushed down in her silent soul, rising suddenly to flush her dark cheeks and to gleam in her splendid eyes.

I realised at that moment that in that tall slim figure there dwelt an unconquerable spirit.
'You must think that I speak very freely to you, since I have only known you a few hours, Cousin Louis,' said she.
'To whom should you speak freely if not to your own relative ?' 'It is true; and yet I never expected that I should be on such terms with you.

I looked forward to your coming with dread and sorrow.
No doubt I showed something of my feelings when my father brought you in.' 'Indeed you did,' I answered.