I will myself go upon the sands in the
morning, and if the body has been exposed by the tide I will secure
the evidence of her father's guilt, in order to save the girl from
the suffering which the knowledge of that guilt would cause her, as
you suppose.'
'As I suppose!'
'Again I say, Henry, we will not quarrel about words.'
I turned sick with despair.
'And on no other terms, mother?'
'On no other terms,' said she.
'Oh, mercy, mother! mercy! you know not what you do. I could not live
without her; I should die without her.'
'Better die then!' exclaimed my mother, with an expression of
ineffable scorn, and losing for the first time her self-possession;
'better die than marry like that.'
'She is my very life now, mother.'
'Have I not said you had better die then? On no other terms will I go
on those sands. But I tell you frankly what I think about this
matter. I think that you absurdly exaggerate the effect the knowledge
of her father's crime will have upon the girl.'
'No, no; I do not. Mercy, dear mother, mercy! I am your only child.
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