What had I done to excite this ungovernable fury? We had often before had such small differences, and she had contented herself with being sarcastic, teasing, and impertinent. 'So, for future you are gouvernante and I the cheaile for you to command--is not so?--and you must direct where we shall walk. Très-bien! we shall see; Monsieur Ruthyn he shall know everything. For me I do not care--not at all--I shall be rather pleased, on the contrary. Let him decide. If I shall be responsible for the conduct and the health of Mademoiselle his daughter, it must be that I shall have authority to direct her wat she must do--it must be that she or I shall obey. I ask only witch shall command for the future--voilà tout!' I was frightened, but resolute--I dare say I looked sullen and uncomfortable. At all events, she seemed to think she might possibly succeed by wheedling; so she tried coaxing and cajoling, and patted my cheek, and predicted that I would be 'a good cheaile,' and not 'vex poor Madame,' but do for the future 'wat she tell a me.' She smiled her wide wet grin, smoothed my hand, and patted my cheek, and would in the excess of her conciliatory paroxysm have kissed me; but I withdrew, and she commented only with a little laugh, and a 'Foolish little thing! but you will be quite amiable just now.' 'Why, Madame,' I asked, suddenly raising my head and looking her straight in the face, 'do you wish me to walk to Church Scarsdale so particularly to-day?' She answered my steady look with a contracted gaze and an unpleasant frown. 'Wy do I?--I do not understand a you; there is _no_ particular day--wat folly! Wy I like Church Scarsdale? Well, it is such pretty place. There is all! Wat leetle fool! I suppose you think I want to keel a you and bury you in the churchyard?' And she laughed, and it would not have been a bad laugh for a ghoul. 'Come, my dearest Maud, you are not a such fool to say, if _you_ tell me me go thees a way, I weel go that; and if you say, go that a way, I weel go thees--you are rasonable leetle girl--come along--_alons donc_--we shall av soche agreeable walk--weel a you?' But I was immovable. It was neither obstinacy nor caprice, but a profound fear that governed me. I was then afraid--yes, _afraid_. Afraid of _what_? Well, of going with Madame de la Rougierre to Church Scarsdale that day. That was all. And I believe that instinct was true. She turned a bitter glance toward Church Scarsdale, and bit her lip. She saw that she must give it up. A shadow hung upon her drab features. A little scowl--a little sneer--wide lips compressed with a false smile, and a leaden shadow mottling all. Such was the countenance of the lady who only a minute or two before had been smiling and murmuring over the stile so amiably with her idiomatic 'blarney,' as the Irish call that kind of blandishment.