- description
- # II.
## Overview
This section is titled "II." and is part of the chapter "BOOK VII. INTERMEDIATE BETWEEN PIERRE'S TWO INTERVIEWS WITH ISABEL AT THE FARM-HOUSE." It was extracted from the file `pierre.txt` and is part of the collection "Melville Complete Works."
## Context
This section is situated within Book VII of the larger work, a period described as "INTERMEDIATE BETWEEN PIERRE'S TWO INTERVIEWS WITH ISABEL AT THE FARM-HOUSE." It follows section "I." and precedes section "III." The text originates from the file `pierre.txt`, which is part of the "Melville Complete Works" collection.
## Contents
This section contains a dialogue between Pierre and his mother, Mary. The conversation reveals a strained relationship, with Mary appearing offended and frightened by Pierre's demeanor. Pierre attempts to probe her feelings, but she deflects his questions, maintaining a cold and distant attitude. The tension escalates when Mary warns Pierre to "Tempt me no more," implying a significant rift and a potential for severe consequences if his behavior continues. The section concludes with Pierre silently leaving the breakfast table and the mansion.
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- II.
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- II.
He saluted her; but she looked gravely and yet alarmedly, and then in a
sudden, illy-repressed panic, upon him. Then he knew he must be
wonderfully changed. But his mother spoke not to him, only to return his
good-morning. He saw that she was deeply offended with him, on many
accounts; moreover, that she was vaguely frightened about him, and
finally that notwithstanding all this, her stung pride conquered all
apprehensiveness in her; and he knew his mother well enough to be very
certain that, though he should unroll a magician's parchment before her
now, she would verbally express no interest, and seek no explanation
from him. Nevertheless, he could not entirely abstain from testing the
power of her reservedness.
"I have been quite an absentee, sister Mary," said he, with ill-affected
pleasantness.
"Yes, Pierre. How does the coffee suit you this morning? It is some new
coffee."
"It is very nice; very rich and odorous, sister Mary."
"I am glad you find it so, Pierre."
"Why don't you call me brother Pierre?"
"Have I not called you so? Well, then, brother Pierre,--is that better?"
"Why do you look so indifferently and icily upon me, sister Mary?"
"Do I look indifferently and icily? Then I will endeavor to look
otherwise. Give me the toast there, Pierre."
"You are very deeply offended at me, my dear mother."
"Not in the slightest degree, Pierre. Have you seen Lucy lately?"
"I have not, my mother."
"Ah! A bit of salmon, Pierre."
"You are too proud to show toward me what you are this moment feeling,
my mother."
Mrs. Glendinning slowly rose to her feet, and her full stature of
womanly beauty and majesty stood imposingly over him.
"Tempt me no more, Pierre. I will ask no secret from thee; all shall be
voluntary between us, as it ever has been, until very lately, or all
shall be nothing between us. Beware of me, Pierre. There lives not that
being in the world of whom thou hast more reason to beware, so you
continue but a little longer to act thus with me."
She reseated herself, and spoke no more. Pierre kept silence; and after
snatching a few mouthfuls of he knew not what, silently quitted the
table, and the room, and the mansion.
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- II.