"Why do you wish me to be here? Leave me to myself. As once I did you harm, so now suffer me to do you good. Let me go. I don't wish to be an impediment to you. Let me go—for your good."
"No!" he repeated.
"Let me go. I implore you. I'm still able to work for myself. You shall hear no more of me. I will vanish as a leaf down the wind——"
He turned round on himself. An insidious, a terrible temptation overtook him. Let her go! For a short moment wild joy shone in his soul. He might consider it all as an evil dream; one word and the dream would vanish and the sweet reality would be restored! But suddenly he was ashamed of the thought. His wrath flamed up again, his voice echoed through the gloomy kitchen.
"No!"
"You are a wild beast!" murmured Olì, "you are not a Christian. You are a wild animal which devours its own flesh. Let me go, child of God! Let me go!"
"I will not."
Olì fell back silent and seemingly vanquished; but Aunt Grathia spoke—
"Yes, indeed, a wild beast! What's the need to shout like that? No! no! no! If any one were to hear you, he'd think there was a wild bull shut up here. Are these the manners you learned at school?"
"Yes, at my school; and I learned other things too," he said, lowering his voice however. "I learned that a man must not acquiesce in disgrace, even at cost of his own life. But I suppose you can't understand! Well, let us cut it short, and be silent both of you."