Beulah - Page 74/348

Mrs. Chilton bit her lip. She had not expected this expression of

proud independence; and, seeing that she had gone too far, pondered

the best method of rectifying the mischief with as little compromise

of personal dignity as possible. Ultimately to eject her, she had

intended from the first; but perfectly conscious that her brother

would accept no explanation or palliation of the girl's departure at

this juncture, and that she and Pauline would soon follow her from

the house, she felt that her own interest demanded the orphan's

presence for a season. Nearly blinded by tears of indignation and

mortification, Beulah turned from her, but the delicate white hand

arrested her, and pressed heavily on her shoulder. She drew herself

up, and tried to shake off the hold; but firm as iron was the grasp

of the snowy fingers, and calm and cold as an Arctic night was the

tone which said: "Pshaw, girl, are you mad? You have sense enough to know that you

are one too many in this house; but if you only desire to be

educated, as you profess, why, I am perfectly willing that you

should remain here. The idea of your growing up as my brother's

heiress and adopted child was too preposterous to be entertained,

and you can see the absurdity yourself; but so long as you

understand matters properly, and merely desire to receive

educational advantages, of course you can and will remain. I do not

wish this to go any further, and, as a sensible girl, you will not

mention it. As a friend, however, I would suggest that you should

avoid putting yourself in the way of observation." As she concluded

she quietly brushed off a small spider which was creeping over

Beulah's sleeve.

"Don't trouble yourself, madam; I am not at all afraid of poisonous

things; I have become accustomed to them."

Smiling bitterly, she stooped to pick up her new bonnet, which had

fallen on the grass at her feet, and, fixing her eyes defiantly on

the handsome face before her, said resolutely: "No! contemptible as you think me, beggarly and wretched as you

please to term me, I have too much self-respect to stay a day longer

where I have been so grossly, so needlessly insulted. You need not

seek to detain me. Take your hand off my arm. I am going now; the

sooner, the better. I understand, madam, your brother will not

countenance your cruelty, and you are ashamed for him to know what,

in his absence, you were not ashamed to do. I scorn to retaliate! He

shall not learn from me why I left so suddenly. Tell him what you

choose."