"Yes, my dear. Sir Thomas has consented." "Then he had better not," said Ayala, bristling up in hot anger. "Uncle Tom has got nothing to do with it, either in refusing or consenting. I won't see him." "I think you must see him if he calls." "But I don't want. Oh, Aunt Margaret, pray make him not come. I don't like him a bit. We are doing so very well. Are we not, Aunt Margaret?" "Certainly, my dear, we are doing very well;--at least, I hope so. But you are old enough now to understand that this is a very serious matter." "Of course it is serious," said Ayala, who certainly was not guilty of the fault of making light of her future life. Those dreams of hers, in which were contained all her hopes and all her aspirations, were very serious to her. This was so much the case that she had by no means thought of her Cousin Tom in a light spirit, as though he were a matter of no moment to her. He was to her just what the Beast must have been to the Beauty, when the Beast first began to be in love. But her safety had consisted in the fact that no one had approved of the Beast being in love with her. Now she could understand that all the horrors of oppression might fall upon her. Of course it was serious; but not the less was she resolved that nothing should induce her to marry the Beast. "I think you ought to see him when he comes, and to remember how different it will be when he comes with the approval of his father. It is, of course, saying that they are ready to welcome you as their daughter." "I don't want to be anybody's daughter." "But, Ayala, there are so many things to be thought of. Here is a young man who is able to give you not only every comfort but great opulence." "I don't want to be opulent." "And he will be a baronet." "I don't care about baronets, Aunt Margaret." "And you will have a house of your own in which you may be of service to your sister." "I had rather she should have a house." "But Tom is not in love with Lucy." "He is such a lout! Aunt Margaret, I won't have anything to say to him. I would a great deal sooner die. Uncle Tom has no right to send him here. They have got rid of me, and I am very glad of it; but it isn't fair that he should come after me now that I'm gone away. Couldn't Uncle Reginald tell him to stay away?"