and leave her afterwards, if I were a
man. What has she ever done to you, but be a fool and too fond of you?
Pray, sir, by what right do you take her away from all of us, and then
desert her, because an old woman in America don't approve of her? She
was happy with us before you came. She loved her sister--there never was
such a sister--until she saw you. And now, because your mamma thinks her
young gentleman might do better, you must leave her forsooth!"

"Great powers, child!" I cried, exasperated at this wrongheadedness.
"Was it I that drew back? Is it not I that am forbidden your house? and
did not your father require, on my honour, that I should not see her?"

"Honour! And you are the men who pretend to be our superiors; and it is
we who are to respect you and admire you! I declare, George Warrington,
you ought to go back to your schoolroom in Virginia again; have your
black nurse to tuck you up in bed, and ask leave from your mamma when
you might walk out. Oh, George! I little thought that my sister was
giving her heart away to a man who hadn't the spirit to stand by her;
but, at the first difficulty, left her! When Doctor Heberden said he was
attending you, I determined to come and see you, and you do look very
ill, that I am glad to see; and I suppose it's your mother you are
frightened of. But I shan't tell Theo that you are unwell. She hasn't
left off caring for you. She can't walk out of a room, break her solemn
engagements, and go into the world the next day as if nothing had
happened! That is left for men, our superiors in courage and wisdom; and
to desert an angel--yes, an angel ten thousand times too good for you;
an angel who used to love me till she saw you, and who was the blessing
of life and of all of us--is what you call honour? Don't tell me, sir!
I despise you all! You are our betters, are you? We are to worship and
wait on you, I suppose? I don't care about your wit, and your tragedies,
and your verses; and I think they are often very stupid. I won't set
up of nights copying your manuscripts, nor watch hour after hour at a
window wasting my time and neglecting everybody because I want to see
your worship walk down the street with your hat cocked! If you are
going away, and welcome, give me back my sister, I say! Give me back my
darling of old days, who loved every one of us, till she saw you. And
you leave her because your mamma thinks she can find somebody richer
for you! Oh, you brave gentleman!