Catherine turned back to the fire again, and then, after a pause, she said, "I am afraid of my father."Mrs.Penniman got quickly up from her chair and approached her niece."Do you mean to give him up, then?"Catherine for some time never moved; she kept her eyes on the coals.
At last she raised her head and looked at her aunt."Why do you push me so?" she asked.
"I don't push you.When have I spoken to you before?""It seems to me that you have spoken to me several times.""I am afraid it is necessary, then, Catherine," said Mrs.
Penniman, with a good deal of solemnity."I am afraid you don't feel the importance"- she paused a little; Catherine was looking at her-"the importance of not disappointing that gallant young heart!" And Mrs.Penniman went back to her chair by the lamp, and, with a little jerk, picked up the evening paper again.
Catherine stood there before the fire, with her hands behind her, looking at her aunt, to whom it seemed that the girl had never had just this dark fixedness in her gaze."I don't think you understand or that you know me," she said.
"If I don't, it is not wonderful; you trust me so little."Catherine made no attempt to deny this charge, and for some time more nothing was said.But Mrs.Penniman's imagination was restless, and the evening paper failed on this occasion to enchain it.
"If you succumb to the dread of your father's wrath," she said, "Idon't know what will become of us."
"Did he tell you to say these things to me?""He told me to use my influence."
"You must be mistaken," said Catherine."He trusts me.""I hope he may never repent of it!" And Mrs.Penniman gave a little sharp slap to her newspaper.She knew not what to make of her niece, who had suddenly become stern and contradictious.
This tendency on Catherine's part was presently even more apparent."You had much better not make any more appointments with Mr.
Townsend," she said."I don't think it is right."Mrs.Penniman rose with considerable majesty."My poor child, are you jealous of me?" she inquired.
"Oh, Aunt Lavinia!" murmured Catherine, blushing.
"I don't think it is your place to teach me what is right."On this point Catherine made no concession."It can't be right to deceive.""I certainly have not deceived you!"
"Yes; but I promised my father-"
"I have no doubt you promised your father.But I have promised him nothing."Catherine had to admit this, and she did so in silence."I don't believe Mr.Townsend himself likes it," she said, at last.
"Doesn't like meeting me?"
"Not in secret."
"It was not in secret; the place was full of people.""But it was a secret place- away off in the Bowery."Mrs.Penniman flinched a little."Gentlemen enjoy such things,"she remarked, presently."I know what gentlemen like.""My father wouldn't like it, if he knew.""Pray, do you propose to inform him?" Mrs.Penniman inquired.
"No, Aunt Lavinia.But please don't do it again.""If I do it again you will inform him- is that what you mean? Ido not share your dread of my brother; I have always known how to defend my own position.But I shall certainly never again take any step on your behalf; you are much too thankless.I knew you were not a spontaneous nature, but I believed you were firm, and I told your father that he would find you so.I am disappointed, but your father will not be." And with this Mrs.Penniman offered her niece a brief good-night, and withdrew to her own apartment.
