“She is my light, my life! I must have her! You have given me your word that she shall be mine.”
“But I had no thought that she would make such a terrible resistance. She has ever been a good and dutiful girl since her father left her in my hands. I knew she was averse to you, Maro, but I fancied you could overcome her aversion, or that she would dutifully submit at my command. She has in her the spirit of her father’s family. He married my sister even though I hated him and sought to prevent the union. Maro, he loved her, which I hold to his credit. He was a good husband to her, and he nearly died of grief when she passed from earth and left little Flavia. It was for Flavia that he lived. Otherwise I believe he would have taken his life that he might join her. But when he met reverses and lost most of his little fortune, he felt that bad fortune had placed a blight on him while he remained in his native land. He found an opportunity to go to India, and he left Flavia with me, charging me to be like a father to her. It is now said by this Englishman that he has prospered in life, and by this Englishman he sends a message which tells me to let Flavia return to him in care of the Englishman.”
“A trick! a trick!” cried Maro fiercely. “The letter was a forgery!”
“How do you know?”
“The Englishman and Flavia met before he presented that letter.”
“Which is true.”
“She fell in love with him.”
“Her behavior seems to denote it,” confessed Tyrus.
“She knew I wished to marry her and that you favored me.”
“Go on.”