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from his hold； and at the same time
said：
'I have not been insensible； sir； of your
most disagreeable attentionsthey have
long been a source of much annoyance to
me； and you must be aware that I have
marked my disapprobationmy disgust
as unequivocally as I possibly could； without
actual indelicacy。'
I paused； almost out of breath from the
rapidity with which I had spoken； and
without giving him time to renew the
conversation； I hastily quitted the room；
leaving him in a paroxysm of rage and
mortification。 As I ascended the stairs；
I heard him open the parlour…door with
violence； and take two or three rapid strides
in the direction in which I was moving。 I
was now much frightened； and ran the
whole way until I reached my room； and
having locked the door； I listened breathlessly；
but heard no sound。 This relieved
me for the present； but so much had I
been overcome by the agitation and annoyance
attendant upon the scene which I had
just gone through； that when my cousin
Emily knocked at my door； I was weeping
in strong hysterics。
You will readily conceive my distress；
when you reflect upon my strong dislike to
my cousin Edward； combined with my
youth and extreme inexperience。 Any
proposal of such a nature must have
agitated me； but that it should have come
from the man whom of all others I most
loathed and abhorred； and to whom I had；
as clearly as manner could do it； expressed
the state of my feelings； was almost too
overwhelming to be borne。 It was a calamity；
too； in which I could not claim the sym…
pathy of my cousin Emily； which had
always been extended to me in my minor
grievances。 Still I hoped that it might
not be unattended with good； for I
thought that one inevitable and most
welcome consequence would result from
this painful eclaircissment； in the
discontinuance of my cousin's odious
persecution。
When I arose next morning； it was with
the fervent hope that I might never again
behold the face； or even hear the name； of
my cousin Edward； but such a consummation；
though devoutly to be wished； was
hardly likely to occur。 The painful
impressions of yesterday were too vivid to
be at once erased； and I could not help
feeling some dim foreboding of coming
annoyance and evil。
To expect on my cousin's part anything
like delicacy or consideration for me； was
out of the question。 I saw that he had
set his heart upon my property； and that
he was not likely easily to forego such an
acquisitionpossessing what might have
been considered opportunities and facilities
almost to compel my compliance。
I now keenly felt the unreasonableness
of my father's conduct in placing me to
reside with a family of all whose members；
with one exception； he was wholly
ignorant； and I bitterly felt the helplessness
of my situation。 I determined； however；
in case of my cousin's persevering in
his addresses； to lay all the particulars
before my uncle； although he had never in
kindness or intimacy gone a step beyond
our first interview； and to throw myself
upon his hospitality and his sense of honour
for protection against a repetition of such
scenes。
My cousin's conduct may appear to have
been an inadequate cause for such serious
uneasiness； but my alarm was caused
neither by his acts nor words； but entirely
by his manner； which was strange and even
intimidating to excess。 At the beginning
of the yesterday's interview there was a
sort of bullying swagger in his air； which
towards the end gave place to the brutal
vehemence of an undisguised ruffiana
transition which had tempted me into a belief
that he might seek even forcibly to extort
from me a consent to his wishes； or by
means still more horrible； of which I
scarcely dared to trust myself to think；
to possess himself of my property。
I was early next day summoned to attend
my uncle in his private room； which lay in
a corner turret of the old building； and
thither I accordingly went； wondering all
the way what this unusual measure might
prelude。 When I entered the room； he
did not rise in his usual courteous way to
greet me； but simply pointed to a chair
opposite to his own。 This boded nothing
agreeable。 I sat down； however； silently
waiting until he should open the conversation。
'Lady Margaret；' at length he said； in a
tone of greater sternness than I thought
him capable of using； 'I have hitherto
spoken to you as a friend； but I have not
forgotten that I am also your guardian；
and that my authority as such gives me a
right to control your conduct。 I shall
put a question to you； and I expect and
will demand a plain； direct answer。 Have
I rightly been informed that you have con…
temptuously rejected the suit and hand of
my son Edward？'
I stammered forth with a good deal of
trepidation：
'I believethat is； I have； sir； rejected
my cousin's proposals； and my coldness
and discouragement might have
convinced him that I had determined to
do so。'
'Madam；' replied he； with suppressed；
but； as it appeared to me； intense anger；
'I have lived long enough to know that
COLDNESS and discouragement； and such
terms； form the common cant of a worthless
coquette。 You know to the full； as
well as I； that COLDNESS AND DISCOURAGEMENT
may be so exhibited as to convince
their object that he is neither distasteful
or indifferent to the person who wears this
manner。 You know； too； none better； that
an affected neglect； when skilfully managed；
is amongst the most formidable of the
engines which artful beauty can employ。
I tell you； madam； that having； without
one word spoken in discouragement；
permitted my son's most marked attentions
for a twelvemonth or more； you have no
right to dismiss him with no further
explanation than demurely telling him that
you had always looked coldly upon him；
and neither your wealth nor your LADYSHIP'
（there was an emphasis of scorn on the
word； which would have become Sir
Giles Overreach himself） 'can warrant you
in treating with contempt the affectionate
regard of an honest heart。'
I was too much shocked at this undisguised
attempt to bully me into an acquiescence
in the interested and unprincipled
plan for their own aggrandisement； which
I now perceived my uncle and his son to
have deliberately entered into； at once to
find strength or collectedness to frame an
answer to what he had said。 At length I
replied； with some firmness：
'In all that you have just now said； sir；
you have grossly misstated my conduct and
motives。 Your information must have been
most incorrect as far as it regards my
conduct towards my cousin； my manner
towards him could have conveyed nothing
but dislike； and if anything could have
added to the strong aversion which I
have long felt towards him； it would be
his attempting thus to trick and frighten
me into a marr