“God help me, father! what have I done to be chastised? Have I said anything wrong? Have I been wanting in respect to you? Father, just before my mother--heaven rest her!--died, she said to me, ‘Lucas, watch over your sister.’ I promised her that I would, and have kept my promise.” “She meant,” replied Juan, somewhat softened by the memory of the mother evoked by her son, “she meant in case Lucia should be left without me. But, while I live, which is it that has the authority over my daughter?” “Father, for the love of the Blessed Virgin, leave her to me! I will support her.” “Are you in your senses?” “For God’s sake, don’t separate us! I will work with all my might to maintain us both.” “Separate you! Nobody has thought of doing it. You will come with her to my house.” “No, sir.” “How is that? What do you mean by ‘no, sir’? Do you think you have a right to call your father to account? Is it not enough for you to know what his hands decide? Perhaps you would like to have another proof of what they are able to do?” “My father may kill me, and I shall neither open my lips nor forget my duty; but--make me live with that woman--never!” “We shall see about that, insolent upstart!” “Yes, we shall see,” said Lucas, as he went sorrowfully out. Lucas was gifted with one of those noble and delicate natures that humble themselves in victory and grow firm in defeat; that is alike incapable of noisy elation in triumph, or pusillanimous abjection when prostrate. But the determination of his character was degenerating into stubbornness, as it always happens when will forsakes the guidance of reason to follow the promptings of pride. Therefore, though he had not, in the slightest degree, failed in the strict respect that morality enforces, neither the threats of his father nor love for his sister could shake the resolution he had taken in that decisive interview. On leaving his father’s presence, he went in search of Lucia, whom he found weeping. For a long while neither spoke: brother and sister mutually comprehending the cause of the profound depression of the one and the tears of the other. 56 “If mother could open her eyes!” at last exclaimed Lucia. “They whose eyes God has closed have no wish to open them again in the world,” replied Lucas; “but remember, that from heaven she always has hers fixed upon her daughter. I cannot help you; for, though I have tried my best to keep you under my flag, I have not succeeded: because, heart’s dearest, there is no power in the world that can oppose a father’s.” “But I am to do only what you tell me, Lucas, for my mother left me to you,” sobbed the girl. “Well, then, pay attention to what I am going to say.