"There is nothing wrong in it, my innocent little Mary; but it pains me."
"But, papa, listen! You shall not be pained by me. I would give up everything--almost" (correcting herself); "I would die rather than make you unhappy; that would be too wicked!"
She shuddered.
"Does the letter not please you? Must it not go? Must it be torn? It shall, for your sake, if you order it."
"I order nothing."
"Order something, papa; express your wish; only don't hurt, don't grieve Graham. I cannot, cannot bear that. I love you, papa; but I love Graham too--because--because--it is impossible to help it."
"This splendid Graham is a young scamp, Polly--that is my present notion of him: it will surprise you to hear that, for my part, I do not love him one whit. Ah! years ago I saw something in that lad's eye I never quite fathomed--something his mother has not--a depth which warned a man not to wade into that stream too far; now, suddenly, I find myself taken over the crown of the head."
"Papa, you don't--you have not fallen in; you are safe on the bank; you can do as you please; your power is despotic; you can shut me up in a convent, and break Graham's heart to-morrow, if you choose to be so cruel. Now, autocrat, now czar, will you do this?"
"Off with him to Siberia, red whiskers and all; I say, I don't like him, Polly, and I wonder that you should."
"Papa," said she, "do you know you are very naughty? I never saw you look so disagreeable, so unjust, so almost vindictive before. There is an expression in your face which does not belong to you."
"Off with him!" pursued Mr. Home, who certainly did look sorely crossed and annoyed--even a little bitter; "but, I suppose, if he went, Polly would pack a bundle and run after him; her heart is fairly won--won, and weaned from her old father."
"Papa, I say it is naughty, it is decidedly wrong, to talk in that way. I am not weaned from you, and no human being and no mortal influence can wean me."
"Be married, Polly! Espouse the red whiskers. Cease to be a daughter; go and be a wife!"
"Red whiskers! I wonder what you mean, papa. You should take care of prejudice. You sometimes say to me that all the Scotch, your countrymen, are the victims of prejudice. It is proved now, I think, when no distinction is to be made between red and deep nut-brown."
"Leave the prejudiced old Scotchman; go away."
She stood looking at him a minute. She wanted to show firmness, superiority to taunts; knowing her father's character, guessing his few foibles, she had expected the sort of scene which was now transpiring; it did not take her by surprise, and she desired to let it pass with dignity, reliant upon reaction. Her dignity stood her in no stead. Suddenly her soul melted in her eyes; she fell on his neck: --"I won't leave you, papa; I'll never leave you. I won't pain you! I'll never pain you!" was her cry.