- end_line
- 14627
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:52.924Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 14579
- text
- "I am Lucy Tartan. I have come to dwell during their pleasure with Mr.
and Mrs. Pierre Glendinning, of my own unsolicited free-will. If they
desire it, I shall go; but no other power shall remove me, except by
violence; and against any violence I have the ordinary appeal to the
law."
"Read this, madam," said Mrs. Tartan, tremblingly handing it to Isabel,
and eying her with a passionate and disdainful significance.
"I have read it," said Isabel, quietly, after a glance, and handing it
to Pierre, as if by that act to show, that she had no separate decision
in the matter.
"And do you, sir, too, indirectly connive?" said Mrs. Tartan to Pierre,
when he had read it.
"I render no accounts, madam. This seems to be the written and final
calm will of your daughter. As such, you had best respect it, and
depart."
Mrs. Tartan glanced despairingly and incensedly about her; then fixing
her eyes on her daughter, spoke.
"Girl! here where I stand, I forever cast thee off. Never more shalt
thou be vexed by my maternal entreaties. I shall instruct thy brothers
to disown thee; I shall instruct Glen Stanly to banish thy worthless
image from his heart, if banished thence it be not already by thine own
incredible folly and depravity. For thee, Mr. Monster! the judgment of
God will overtake thee for this. And for thee, madam, I have no words
for the woman who will connivingly permit her own husband's paramour to
dwell beneath her roof. For thee, frail one," (to Delly), "thou needest
no amplification.--A nest of vileness! And now, surely, whom God himself
hath abandoned forever, a mother may quit, never more to revisit."
This parting maternal malediction seemed to work no visibly
corresponding effect upon Lucy; already she was so marble-white, that
fear could no more blanch her, if indeed fear was then at all within her
heart. For as the highest, and purest, and thinnest ether remains
unvexed by all the tumults of the inferior air; so that transparent
ether of her cheek, that clear mild azure of her eye, showed no sign of
passion, as her terrestrial mother stormed below. Helpings she had from
unstirring arms; glimpses she caught of aid invisible; sustained she was
by those high powers of immortal Love, that once siding with the weakest
reed which the utmost tempest tosses; then that utmost tempest shall be
broken down before the irresistible resistings of that weakest reed.
- title
- Chunk 3