“But it is my disgrace. I have brought up a child who could do it. I cannot escape from that. It is the most dishonorable thing a woman can do. And look how she has done it, brought shame upon us all! Here we have a wedding on our hands, and little or no time to do anything! I have lived in honor all my life, and now to be disgraced by my own daughter!”
Marcia shuddered at her father’s agony. She could not bear it longer. With a soft cry she went to him, and nestled her head against his breast unnoticed.
“Father, father, don’t!” she cried.
But her father went on without seeming to see her.
“To be disgraced and deserted and dishonored by my own child! Something must be done. Send the servants! Let the wedding be stopped!”
He looked at Madam and she started toward the door to carry out his bidding, but he recalled her immediately.
“No, stay!” he cried. “It is too late to stop them all. Let them come. Let them be told! Let the disgrace rest upon the one to whom it belongs!”
Madam stopped in consternation! A wedding without a bride! Yet she knew it was a serious thing to try to dispute with her husband in that mood. She paused to consider.
“Oh, father!” exclaimed Marcia, “we couldn’t! Think of David.”
Her words seemed to touch the right chord, for he turned toward the young man, intense, tender pity in his face.