in heaven. Whatever was publicly known in heaven, should be publicly known on earth. There was no slightest secret between her and her mother.
Wholly confronted by this inscrutableness of her so alienated and infatuated daughter, Mrs. Tartan turned inflamedly upon Pierre, and bade him follow her forth. But again Lucy said nay, there were no secrets between her mother and Pierre. She would anticipate everything there. Calling for pen and paper, and a book to hold on her knee and write, she traced the following lines, and reached them to her mother:
'I am Lucy Tartan. I have come to dwell during their pleasure with Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Glendinning, of my own unsolicited free-will. If they desire it, I shall go; but no other power shall remove me, except by violence; and against any violence I have the ordinary appeal to the law.'
'Read this, madam,' said Mrs. Tartan, tremblingly handing it to Isabel, and eyeing her with a passionate and disdainful significance.
'I have read it,' said Isabel, quietly, after a glance, and handing it to Pierre, as if by that act to show, that she had no separate decision in the matter.
'And do you, sir, too, indirectly connive?' said Mrs. Tartan to Pierre, when he had read it.
'I render no accounts, madam. This seems to be the written and final calm will of your daughter. As such, you had best respect it, and depart.'
Mrs. Tartan glanced despairingly and incensedly about her; then fixing her eyes on her daughter, spoke.
'Girl! here where I stand, I forever cast thee off. Never more shalt thou be vexed by my maternal entreaties. I shall instruct thy brothers to disown thee; I shall instruct Glen Stanly to banish thy worthless image from his heart, if banished thence it be not already by
