Sheba. Icannot imagine why diamonds do hot suit you."
"I do not suit them, mamma."
"Pardon me. You do not know yourself. But girls of your agenever do. That is where mothers are useful, I suppose. Whichis it to be, Daisy?"
"I do not want either, mamma."
"Yes; that is of course too. But which do you like best, ofthe two? I suppose you have some preference."
"Mamma, I think I prefer the pearls, but you know -"
Mamma stopped my mouth with a kiss. "Little goose!" she said,- "I am not talking of pearls. Did I not say what I wasthinking of? I supposed we both had the same thought, Daisy,and that you would understand me."
"I thought it was pearls and rubies, mamma."
"Well, now you know it is not; and again I come back to myquestion, - Which is it to be?"
"Which - of what, mamma?"
"Nonsense, Daisy; - you know."
"I know nothing of any choice that I have to make, ma'am, ifyou do not mean about jewels; and of them, as I said, I shouldprefer neither."
"You may choose and refuse among jewels," said my mother, -"and refuse and choose; but among some other things it isnecessary to make a choice and stick to it."
"Yes, mamma; but I am not in such a necessity."
"What choice have you made, then? It is the same thing, Daisy;only I want to know. Do you not think it is reasonable that Ishould know?"
"Please explain yourself, mamma."
"Hugh Marshall, then, and Charles De Saussure. What is yourmind about them?"
"I like them, mamma, as your friends and as mine, - very well,- but no more."
"Only very well."
"No more, mamma."
"Very well, is a good deal," said mamma coolly. "Which of themmust I like a little more than very well, Daisy?"
"Mamma? -"
"Whoever owns and possesses you, I should wish to like verymuch. Which is it to be, Daisy?"
"Neither of these gentlemen, mamma."
"Did De Saussure propose to you yesterday?"
"Yes."
"What did you say to him?"
"I made him understand that he was nothing to me."
"He is something to me," said mamma. "He is one of the firstyoung men I know, and has one of the finest estates - close byyours, Daisy."
"Estates are nothing in such a matter, mamma."
"That is like saying that pearls and rubies are nothing onsuch a skin as yours," said mamma laughing. "But you may thinkof the men, Daisy, and I will think of the estates; that isall _en r?gle_."
"I do not wish to think of these men, mamma."
"It is late in the day to say that. You must have thought ofthem both, Daisy, and long ago."
"It never entered my head till yesterday, mamma, that eitherof them liked me."
"You must have seen it for weeks past."
"I did not, mamma, - I never thought of such a thing aspossible, till yesterday."
"Is it a possible thing," said mamma, "that a daughter of minecan be such a simpleton? It is time you were married, Daisy,if you can break hearts like that, without knowing it."
"Better be a simpleton than wicked," I said.
"And that comes to the point," said mamma. "You have mostunaccountably encouraged the addresses of these gentlemen -and seeing that you did, so have I; - now, to clear bothyourself and me, let your preference be made known. It neednot take you long to make your mind up, I suppose."
"I am very sorry, mamma. I have done wrong; I have been veryfoolish; but I cannot do worse. I do not like either of thesegentlemen well enough for what you mean."
"If you have done wrong, you can mend it," said mamma. "Likingwill come fast enough, Daisy; a girl like you does not thinkshe can like anybody but her father and mother; she finds outher mistake in time. So will you. I will decide for you, ifyou have no choice. Charles De Saussure is my friend, and Ithink he is most of a man of the two. I will tell Charles thatyou will make him happy by and by."
"No, mamma, I will not. Do not tell him so."
"Do you like Hugh Marshall better?"
"I do not like either of them in the way you mean."
"Do you like Hugh better? Answer me."
"Mamma -"
"No, answer me. A plain answer. Do you like Hugh better?"
"A great deal better; but -"
"That settles it," said mamma. "You shall be Hugh Marshall'swife. Don't tell me a word against it, Daisy, for I will nothear you. I do not like Marshall as well, myself, but hisproperty is even larger, I believe; and as I am not in love, Imay be allowed to think of such things. It is away over on theMississippi; but we cannot help that. I will make Hugh happyto-day, and then - you shall, Daisy."
"No, mamma, - never. It cannot be."
"It must, Daisy. You have compromised yourself, and me. Youhave allowed these gentlemen's attentions; you have been seeneverywhere with them; you owe it to yourself and them todeclare your choice of one of them now. You must make up yourmind to it. If you are not in love, it cannot be helped; thatwill come in time; but I think you are. Hey, Daisy?" she said,lifting my chin with her forefinger and looking into my face,- "isn't it true? Isn't it true? Ah, silly thing! - Eyes thatare wells of sweetness for somebody - for all down they go, -a mouth that has smiles enough for somebody, - though ittrembles, - and what does this rose leaf mean, that isstealing over every one of your two cheeks? it is a witness tosomebody, who has brought it there. Go - I know all about it.You may make your confession to Hugh, if you like it best."
I thought mamma would have broken my heart. I rose up indespair.
"To-day, Daisy," mamma repeated. "It must be done to-day."
What could I say? I did not know.
"Mamma, it is not as you think. I do not care for HughMarshall."
"Is it De Saussure, then?" she asked, turning quickly upon me.
"No, mamma."
"Is it Preston Gary?" she asked, with a change in her voice.
"No, Oh, no, mamma!"
"Then it is one of these. Daisy, I protest I have not skillenough to find out _which_ of them; but you know, and that issufficient. And they must know too; there can be no more ofthis three-cornered game. It is time to put an end to it. Ihave read you, if you have not read yourself; and now, mychild, you must be content to let the rose blossom, that youkeep so carefully folded up in its green leaves. One of thesegentlemen will leave us presently; and the other, whichever itis, I shall consider and treat as your acknowledged suitor;and so _must you, Daisy_. He will be going home to the war, hetoo, in a short time more; and he must go with the distinctunderstanding that when the war is over, you will reward himas he wants to be rewarded. Not; till then, child. You willhave time enough to think about it."
My mother had shut my lips. I was afraid to say anything goodor bad. She had read me; yes, I felt that she had, when shelooked into my face and touched my cheeks and kissed my lips,which I knew well enough were trembling, as she had said. Shehad read me, all but the name in my heart. What if she hadread that? The least movement now on my part might bring it tothe light; what if it came? I did not know what then, and Iwas greatly afraid. An old awe of my mother and sense of herpower, as well as knowledge of her invincible determination,filled me with doubt and fear. She might write to Mr. Thoroldat once and forbid him ever to think of me; she might send himword that I was engaged to Mr. De Saussure. And indeed I mightalso possibly clear my own action to Mr. Thorold; but changehers, never. My faith failed, I believe. I was like Abrahamwhen he went into Egypt and feared somebody would kill him toget possession of his wife. I did not, like him, resort to afiction for my safety; but neither did I trust God and daretell the truth.
My own will was as good as mamma's. I was not afraid of weaklyyielding some time or other; I was only afraid of her outsidemeasures.
She resumed her occupation of trying laces and jewels on me;finally laughed, chucked me under the chin, kissed me, calledme a pretty goose, and bade me go and dress myself "forwhomever I liked best." I went to my room to
have theheartache.
I had given up the management of myself; I was not strugglingnow; I knew there would be a way out of all my perplexitiessome time; but nevertheless my heart ached. I did dressmyself, however, for that is an important part of a woman'swork; and I went down stairs with a vague hope in my heartthat I might see Hugh and somehow enlist him on my side, sofar at least as to make him delay his departure; though Icould not imagine how I could ask it, nor what I could say tohim of any sort that would benefit me or that would not do himharm. But I thought in vain. I did not see him. Mr. DeSaussure came, and