She had never dreamt that Marian, the still, gentle Marian, could be driven to revolt.

And it had come with the suddenness of a thunderclap.

She wished to ask what had taken place between father and daughter in the brief interview before dinner; but Marian gave her no chance, quitting the room upon those last trembling words.
The girl had resolved to visit her friends, the sisters, and tell them that in future they must never come to see her at home.

But it was no easy thing for her to stifle her conscience, and leave her father to toil over that copying which had need of being finished.

Not her will, but her exasperated feeling, had replied to him that she would not do the work; already it astonished her that she had really spoken such words.