This joyous composure on
Ramona's face angered the Senora, as it had done before, when she
was dragging her up the garden-walk. It seemed to her like nothing
less than brazen effrontery, and it changed the whole tone and
manner of her address.
Seating herself opposite Ramona, but at the farthest side of the
room, she said, in a tone scornful and insulting, "What have you to
say for yourself?"
Returning the Senora's gaze with one no less steady, Ramona
spoke in the same calm tone in which she had twice the evening
before attempted to stay the Senora's wrath. This time, she was not
interrupted.
"Senora," she said slowly, "I tried to tell you last night, but you
would not hear me. If you had listened, you would not have been
so angry. Neither Alessandro nor I have done anything wrong, and
we were not ashamed. We love each other, and we are going to be
married, and go away. I thank you, Senora, for all you have done
for me; I am sure you will be a great deal happier when I am
away;" and Ramona looked wistfully, with no shade of resentment,
into the Senora's dark, shrunken face.
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