“Never, uncle, never!” I cried. “How can you think so ill of one who loves you as I do! I will denounce _her!_ She will be hanged, and we shall be at peace!” “And John?” said my uncle. “John must look after himself!” I answered fiercely. “Because he chooses to have such a mother, am I to bring her a hair's-breadth nearer to my uncle! Not for any man that ever was born! John must discard his mother, or he and I are as we were! A mother! She is a hyena, a shark, a monster! Uncle, she is a _devil!_--I don't care! It is true; and what is true is the right thing to say. I will go to her, and tell her to her face what she is!” I turned and made for the door. My heart felt as big as the biggest man's. “If she kill you, little one,” said my uncle quietly, “I shall be left with nobody to take care of me!” I burst into fresh tears. I saw that I was a fool, and could do nothing. “Poor John!--To have such a mother!” I sobbed. Then in a rage of rebellion I cried, “I don't believe she _is_ his mother! Is it possible now, uncle--does it stand to reason, that such a pestilence of a woman should ever have borne such a child as my John? I don't, I can't, I won't believe it!” “I am afraid there are mysteries in the world quite as hard to explain!” replied my uncle. “I confess, if I had known who was his mother, I should have been far from ready to yield my consent to your engagement.” “What does it matter?” I said. “Of course I shall not marry him!” “Not marry him, child!” returned my uncle. “What are you thinking of? Is the poor fellow to suffer for, as well as by the sins of his mother?” “If you think, uncle, that I will bring you into any kind of relation with that horrible woman, if the worst of it were only that you would have to see her once because she was my husband's mother, you are mistaken. She to threaten you if you did not send back her son, as if John were a horse you had stolen! You have been the angel of God about me all the days of my life, but even to please you, I cannot consent to despise myself. Besides, you know what she threatens!” “She shall not hurt me. I will take care of myself for your sakes. Your life shall not be clouded by scandal about your uncle.” “How are you to prevent it, uncle dear? Fulfil her threat or not, she would be sure to talk!” “When she sees it can serve no purpose, she will hardly risk reprisals.” “She will certainly not risk them when she finds we have said good-bye.” “But how would that serve me, little one? What! would you heap on your uncle's conscience, already overburdened, the misery of keeping two lovely lovers apart? I will tell you what I have resolved upon. I will have no more secrets from you, Orba. Oh, how I thank you, dearest, for not casting me off!” Again I threw myself on my knees by his bed.