pronounced. 'You know, papa, that I trust you,' she said, 'And I
have promised you that I will not disobey you. If you tell me
that I am never to see Mr Lopez again, I will not see him.'

'You are a good girl. You were always a good girl.'

'But I think that you ought to hear me.' Then he stood still
with his hands in his trouser pockets looking at her. He did not
want to hear a word, but he felt that he would be a tyrant if he
refused. 'If you tell me that I am not to see him, I shall not
see him. But I shall be very unhappy. I do love him, and I
shall never love anyone else in the same way.'

'That is nonsense, Emily. There is Arthur Fletcher.'

'I am sure you will never ask me to marry a man I do not love,
and I shall never love Arthur Fletcher. If this is to be as you
say, it will make me very, very wretched. It is right that you
should know the truth. If it is only because Mr Lopez has a
foreign name--'

'It isn't only that; no one knows anything about him, or where
one might inquire even.'

'I think you should inquire, papa, and be quite certain before
you pronounce such a sentence against me. It will be a crushing
blow.' He looked at her, and saw that there was a fixed purpose
in her countenance of which he had never before seen similar
signs. 'You claim a right to my obedience, and I acknowledge it.
I am sure you believe me when I promise not to see him without