Of
one thing I shall make sure--you and your faithless friend shall
never have the chance to insult me again. I wish you to leave my
room."
"Oh come, Ida, listen to reason," Stanton began coaxingly.
"I admitted you," she interrupted with a repellant gesture, "in
the hope of receiving a little kindness, for which I was famishing,
but I would rather you had stabbed me than have said what you have.
Hush, not a word more. The brutal wrong has been done. Will you
not go? This is my private apartment. I command you to leave
it; and if you will not obey I will summon Mr. Burleigh;" and she
placed her hand on the bell.
Her manner was at once so commanding and threatening that Stanton,
with a gesture of deprecation and protest, silently obeyed.
He was so surprised and unnerved by the interview in which the
maiden had turned upon him with a fiery indignation that was almost
volcanic, that he wished to think the affair all over and regain
his composure before meeting any one. Clearly they had failed to
understand Ida of late, and had misjudged her utterly. And yet,
guided by appearances, he felt that they could scarcely have come
to any other conclusion.
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