She sat down evidently disappointed by my submission. I took a chair, and placed myself near her. She tapped the floor impatiently with her foot. I saw that there was not a movement that I could make, not a look, not a tone of voice, which did not irritate her.
"You were remarking," I said, "that your uncle desired you take no notice of me because——"
She closed her lips and did not answer.
"I fear that I have offended you again by my curiosity. But indeed, I had no idea that he had forbidden you to tell me the reason."
"He did not forbid me. Since you are so determined to find out——"
"No; excuse me. I do not wish to know, I am sorry I asked."
"Indeed! Perhaps you would be sorrier if you were told I only made a secret of it out of consideration for you."
"Then your uncle has spoken ill of me behind my back. If that be so there is no such thing as a true man in Ireland, I would not have believed it on the word of any woman alive save yourself."
"I never said my uncle was a backbiter. Just to shew you what he thinks of you, I will tell you, whether you want to know or not, that he bid me not mind you because you were only a poor mad creature, sent down here by your family to be out of harm's way."
"Oh, Miss Hickey!"