The cottager's face grew black as night. "How," he began in a loud voice, but suddenly dropped the tone into a deep growl—" how dare you talk to me so?—go to bed—go to bed."
"No, father."
"No?"
"I will not stir from this room until daybreak."
"We will soon see that," said the man, with an oath.
"Touch me, and I will alarm the gentleman, and tell him that—"
"What?"
The girl approached her father, placed her lips to his ear, and whispered, "That you intend to murder him."
The cottager's frame trembled from head to foot; he shut his eyes, and gasped painfully for breath. "Alice," said he, gently, after a pause—"Alice, we are often nearly starving."
"/I/ am—/you/ never!"