The Countess stood silent for a moment or two, looking at them, during which neither the girl spoke nor her lover. "You will not even allow her six months to think of it?" said the Countess. "I will allow her six years if she says that she requires time to think of it." "I do not want an hour,--not a minute," said Lady Anna. The mother flashed round upon her daughter. "Poor vain, degraded wretch," she said. "She is a true woman, honest to the heart's core," said the lover. "You shall come to-morrow," said the Countess. "Do you hear me, Anna?--he shall come to-morrow. There shall be an end of this in some way, and I am broken-hearted. My life is over for me, and I may as well lay me down and die. I hope God in his mercy may never send upon another woman,--upon another wife, or another mother,--trouble such as that with which I have been afflicted. But I tell you this, Anna; that what evil a husband can do,--even let him be evil-minded as was your father,--is nothing,--nothing,--nothing to the cruelty of a cruel child. Go now, Mr. Thwaite; if you please. If you will return at the same hour to-morrow she shall speak with you--alone. And then she must do as she pleases." "Anna, I will come again to-morrow," said the tailor. But Lady Anna did not answer him. She did not speak, but stayed looking at him till he was gone. "To-morrow shall end it all. I can stand this no longer. I have prayed to you,--a mother to her daughter; I have prayed to you for mercy, and you will show me none. I have knelt to you." "Mamma!" "I will kneel again if it may avail." And the Countess did kneel. "Will you not spare me?" "Get up, mamma; get up. What am I doing,--what have I done that you should speak to me like this?" "I ask you from my very soul,--lest I commit some terrible crime. I have sworn that I would not see this marriage,--and I will not see it." "If he will consent I will delay it," said the girl trembling. "Must I beg to him then? Must I kneel to him? Must I ask him to save me from the wrath to come? No, my child, I will not do that. If it must come, let it come. When you were a little thing at my knees, the gentlest babe that ever mother kissed, I did not think that you would live to be so hard to me. You have your mother's brow, my child, but you have your father's heart." "I will ask him to delay it," said Anna. "No;--if it be to come to that I will have no dealings with you. What; that he,--he who has come between me and all my peace, he who with his pretended friendship has robbed me of my all, that he is to be asked to grant me a few weeks' delay before this pollution comes upon me,--during which the whole world will know that Lady Anna Lovel is to be the tailor's wife! Leave me. When he comes to-morrow, you shall be sent for;--but I will see him first. Leave me, now. I would be alone." Lady Anna made an attempt to take her mother's hand, but the Countess repulsed her rudely. "Oh, mamma!"