"I must preface my question by reminding you that you have constantly disregarded my wishes and disobeyed my orders by refusing to see my guests or to go out in company with me."
"When honored with an invitation to the state dinner at the executive mansion you declined to go, even though I expressed my will that you should accompany me."
"But for the future I intend to be master of my own house and of every living soul within it. Now, then, for my test question. You have received cards to the ball to be given at the house of the chief justice to-morrow evening. I wish you to attend it, and my wish should be a command."
"What is your answer? Think before you speak, for on your answer must depend your future position in my house."
"Sir," she began at length, "you are a just man, at least, and you will not refuse to hear and consider my reasons for seclusion."
"I will consider nothing! I know them as well as you do. Morbid sensitiveness about your peculiar position; morbid dread of facing the world; morbid love of indulging in melancholy. And I will have none of it! None of it! I will be obeyed, and you shall go out into society, or else--"
"'Or else' what will be the alternative, sir?"
"You leave my house! I will have no rebel in my family!"
Had Cora followed the impulse of her proud and outraged spirit, she would have walked out of the library, gone to her room, put on her bonnet and cloak, and left the house, leaving all her goods to be sent after her; but the girl thought of her poor, gentle, suffering grandmother, and bore the insult.
"Sir," she said, with patient dignity, "do you think that it would have been decorous, under the peculiar circumstances, for me to appear in public, and especially at a state dinner at the executive mansion?"
"Madam, I instructed you to accept that invitation and to attend that dinner! Do you dare to hint that I would counsel you to any indecorous act?"
"No, sir; certainly not, if you had stopped to think of it; but weightier matters occupied your mind, no doubt."
"Let that go. But in the question of this ball? Do you mean to obey me?"
"Grandfather, please consider! How can I mix with gay scenes while the fate of my husband is still an awful mystery?"