And as the throbbing of her pulses subsided, she saw more clearly into the motives of this wretched tumult which possessed her.

Her mind was harassed with a fear lest in defending Milvain she had spoken foolishly.

Had he not himself said to her that he might be guilty of base things, just to make his way?
Perhaps it was the intolerable pain of imagining that he had already made good his words, which robbed her of self-control and made her meet her father's rudeness with defiance.
Impossible to carry out her purpose; she could not deliberately leave the house and spend some hours away with the thought of such wrath and misery left behind her.

Gradually she was returning to her natural self; fear and penitence were chill at her heart.
She went down to the study, tapped, and entered.
'Father, I said something that I did not really mean.

Of course I shall go on with the copying and finish it as soon as possible.' 'You will do nothing of the kind, my girl.' He was in his usual place, already working at Marian's task; he spoke in a low, thick voice.