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　marriage　which　he　knows　to　be
  revolting　to　me；　and　which　is　sought　by
  him　only　as　a　means　for　securing　to
  himself　whatever　property　is　mine。'
  As　I　said　this；　I　fixed　my　eyes　upon
  those　of　my　uncle；　but　he　was　too　old　in
  the　world's　ways　to　falter　beneath　the
  gaze　of　more　searching　eyes　than　mine；　he
  simply　said：
  'Are　you　acquainted　with　the　provisions
  of　your　father's　will？'
  I　answered　in　the　affirmative；　and　he
  continued：
  'Then　you　must　be　aware　that　if　my
  son　Edward　werewhich　God　forbidthe
  unprincipled；　reckless　man　you　pretend　to
  think　him'（here　he　spoke　very　slowly；
  as　if　he　intended　that　every　word　which
  escaped　him　should　be　registered　in　my
  memory；　while　at　the　same　time　the
  expression　of　his　countenance　underwent　a
  gradual　but　horrible　change；　and　the　eyes
  which　he　fixed　upon　me　became　so　darkly
  vivid；　that　I　almost　lost　sight　of　everything
  else）'if　he　were　what　you　have
  described　him；　think　you；　girl；　he　could
  find　no　briefer　means　than　wedding
  contracts　to　gain　his　ends？　'twas　but　to　gripe
  your　slender　neck　until　the　breath　had
  stopped；　and　lands；　and　lakes；　and　all　were
  his。'
  I　stood　staring　at　him　for　many　minutes
  after　he　had　ceased　to　speak；　fascinated
  by　the　terrible　serpent…like　gaze；　until　he
  continued　with　a　welcome　change　of　countenance：
  'I　will　not　speak　again　to　you　upon　this
  topic　until　one　month　has　passed。　You
  shall　have　time　to　consider　the　relative
  advantages　of　the　two　courses　which　are
  open　to　you。　I　should　be　sorry　to　hurry
  you　to　a　decision。　I　am　satisfied　with
  having　stated　my　feelings　upon　the　subject；
  and　pointed　out　to　you　the　path　of　duty。
  Remember　this　day　monthnot　one　word
  sooner。'
  He　then　rose；　and　I　left　the　room；　much
  agitated　and　exhausted。
  This　interview；　all　the　circumstances
  attending　it；　but　most　particularly　the
  formidable　expression　of　my　uncle's
  countenance　while　he　talked；　though　hypothetically；
  of　murder；　combined　to　arouse　all
  my　worst　suspicions　of　him。　I　dreaded　to
  look　upon　the　face　that　had　so　recently
  worn　the　appalling　livery　of　guilt　and
  malignity。　I　regarded　it　with　the
  mingled　fear　and　loathing　with　which　one
  looks　upon　an　object　which　has　tortured
  them　in　a　nightmare。
  In　a　few　days　after　the　interview；　the
  particulars　of　which　I　have　just　related；　I
  found　a　note　upon　my　toilet…table；　and　on
  opening　it　I　read　as　follows：
  'MY　DEAR　LADY　MARGARET；
  'You　will　be　perhaps　surprised　to
  see　a　strange　face　in　your　room　to…day。　I
  have　dismissed　your　Irish　maid；　and
  secured　a　French　one　to　wait　upon　youa
  step　rendered　necessary　by　my　proposing
  shortly　to　visit　the　Continent；　with　all　my
  family。
  'Your　faithful　guardian；
  'ARTHUR　TN。'
  On　inquiry；　I　found　that　my　faithful
  attendant　was　actually　gone；　and　far　on
  her　way　to　the　town　of　Galway；　and　in
  her　stead　th