Tyrrel stood
thunderstruck at her magnanimity. Seeing, however, that she was upon the
point of being out of the reach of his power, he recovered himself and
pulled her back.
"What is in the wind now? Do you think, strumpet; that you shall get
the better of me by sheer impudence? Sit down! rest you satisfied!--So
you want to know by what right you are here, do you? By the right of
possession. This house is mine, and you are in my power. There is no
Mrs. Jakeman now to spirit you away; no, nor no Falkland to bully for
you. I have countermined you, damn me! and blown up your schemes. Do you
think I will be contradicted and opposed for nothing? When did you ever
know any body resist my will without being made to repent? And shall I
now be browbeaten by a chitty-faced girl?--I have not given you a
fortune! Damn you! who brought you up? I will make you a bill for
clothing and lodging. Do not you know that every creditor has a right to
stop his runaway debtor. You may think as you please; but here you are
till you marry Grimes. Heaven and earth shall not prevent but I will get
the better of your obstinacy!"
"Ungenerous, unmerciful man! and so it is enough for you that I have
nobody to defend me! But I am not so helpless as you may imagine. You
may imprison my body, but you cannot conquer my mind. Marry Mr. Grimes!
And is this the way to bring me to your purpose? Every hardship I suffer
puts still further distant the end for which I am thus unjustly treated.
You are not used to have your will contradicted! When did I ever
contradict it? And, in a concern that is so completely my own, shall my
will go for nothing? Would you lay down this rule for yourself, and
suffer no other creature to take the benefit of it? I want nothing of
you: how dare you refuse me the privilege of a reasonable being, to live
unmolested in poverty and innocence? What sort of a man do you show
yourself, you that lay claim to the respect and applause of every one
that knows you?"
The spirited reproaches of Emily had at first the effect to fill Mr.
Tyrrel with astonishment, and make him feel abashed and overawed in the
presence of this unprotected innocent. But his confusion was the result
of surprise. When the first emotion wore off, he cursed himself for
being moved by her expostulations; and was ten times more exasperated
against her, for daring to defy his resentment at a time when she had
every thing to fear. His despotic and unforgiving propensi
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