She turned white in the face, and drew her breath through her teeth in a savage sort of way;--but she offered no extenuation or defence; and with a kind of shameless calmness--shocking indeed to witness in one so young--as good as told me that my remonstrance was unavailing, and my pastoral advice quite thrown away upon her--nay, that my very presence was displeasing while I spoke such things.

And I withdrew at length, too plainly seeing that nothing could be done--and sadly grieved to find her case so hopeless.

But I am fully determined, Mrs.Markham, that my daughters--shall--not--consort with her.

Do you adopt the same resolution with regard to yours!--As for your sons--as for you, young man,' he continued, sternly turning to me-- 'As for ME, sir,' I began, but checked by some impediment in my utterance, and finding that my whole frame trembled with fury, I said no more, but took the wiser part of snatching up my hat and bolting from the room, slamming the door behind me, with a bang that shook the house to its foundations, and made my mother scream, and gave a momentary relief to my excited feelings.
The next minute saw me hurrying with rapid strides in the direction of Wildfell Hall--to what intent or purpose I could scarcely tell, but I must be moving somewhere, and no other goal would do--I must see her too, and speak to her--that was certain; but what to say, or how to act, I had no definite idea.

Such stormy thoughts--so many different resolutions crowded in upon me, that my mind was little better than a chaos of conflicting passions..