‘I hope you will remember what are your mamma’s wishes.’

’Mamma’s wishes have no influence whatsoever with me in such matters as this.  Mamma’s arrangements with you are for her own convenience, and I am not party to them.  I do not know anything about mamma’s money, and I do not want to know.  But under no possible circumstances will I consent to become your wife.  Nothing that mamma could say or do would induce me even to think of it.  I hope you will be man enough to take this for an answer, and say nothing more about it.’

‘But, Miss Clara—­’

’It’s no good your Miss Claraing me, sir.  What I have said to you may be sure I mean.  Good-morning, sir.’  Then she opened the door, and left him.

‘By Jove, she is a Tartar,’ said Musselboro to himself, when he was alone.  ‘They’re both Tartars, but the younger is the worse.’  Then he began to speculate whether Fortune was not doing the best for him in so arranging that he might have use of the Tartar-mother’s money without binding himself to endure for life the Tartar qualities of the daughter.

It had been understood that Clara was to wait at home till her mother should return before she again went to Mrs Broughton.  At about eleven Mrs Van Siever came in, and her daughter intercepted her at the dining-room door before she made her way upstairs to Mr Musselboro.  ’How is she, mamma?’ said Clara with something of hypocrisy in her assumed interest for Mrs Broughton.

‘She is an idiot!’ said Mrs Van Siever.

‘She has had a terrible misfortune!’

’That is no reason why she should be an idiot; and she is heartless too.  She never cared a bit for him—­not a bit.’

’He was a man whom it was impossible to care for much.  I will go to her now, mamma.’

‘Where is Musselboro?’

‘He is upstairs.’

‘Well?’

’Mamma, that is quite out of the question.  Quite.  I would not marry him to save myself from starving.’

’You do not know what starving is yet, my dear.  Tell me the truth at once.  Are you engaged to that painter?’ Clara paused a moment before she answered, not hesitating as to the expediency of telling her mother any truth on the matter in question, but doubting what the truth might really be.  Could she say that she was engaged to Mr Dalrymple, or could she say that she was not?  ’If you tell me a lie, miss, I’ll have you put out at once.’

’I certainly shall not tell you a lie.  Mr Dalrymple has asked me to be his wife, and I have made him no answer.  If he asks me again I shall accept him.’

‘Then I order you not to leave this house,’ said Mrs Van Siever.

‘Surely I may go to Mrs Broughton?’

‘I order you not to leave this house,’ said Mrs Van Siever again—­and thereupon she stalked out of the dining-room and went upstairs.  Clara had been standing with her bonnet on, ready dressed to go out, and the mother made no attempt to send the daughter up to her room.  That she did not expect to be obeyed in her order may be inferred from the first words which she spoke to Mr Musselboro.  ’She has gone off to that man now.  You are not good, Musselboro, at this kind of work.’