"Yes; I suppose it is for your good when he drinks too much!"
There was a sneer on Olympia's lip, an evil spirit in her eye, which destroyed all its beauty; but even this did not make the girl shrink; she only put out both her hands, and turned her head away.
"Oh! how can you?" she cried. "I never saw him in my life when he was not in all respects a gentleman."
"But I have! I have!"
"Ah, madam, it is cruel to say this. Mr. Brown was my friend, my only friend, long before—before you came and took me away from my poor little home. If you could make me think ill of him, would it be kind?"
"But he has been treacherous; he has taught you hatred of the profession which you were so crazy for at one time."
"No, no; it was not Mr. Brown. I saw for myself."
"Yes, the dark side; never in its brightness or its glory. But you shall, you shall."
Caroline lay back upon her pillow and covered her face with one hand. The sight of that beautiful woman, so hard in her resolve, so completely ignoring all feelings but her own, was hateful to her.
"Please let me rest to-night," she pleaded.