with her.«
    It cost Marian a terrible effort to address her father in these terms. When
he turned fiercely upon her, she shrank back and felt as if strength must fail
her even to stand.
    »You can't see that she was to blame? Isn't it entirely against my wish that
she keeps up any intercourse with those low people? Am I to be exposed to
insulting disturbance in my very study, because she chooses to introduce girls
of bad character as servants to vulgar women?«
    »I don't think Annie Rudd can be called a girl of bad character, and it was
very natural that mother should try to do something for her. You have never
actually forbidden her to see her relatives.«
    »A thousand times I have given her to understand that I utterly disapproved
of such association. She knew perfectly well that this girl was as likely as not
to discredit her. If she had consulted me, I should at once have forbidden
anything of the kind; she was aware of that. She kept it secret from me, knowing
that it would excite my displeasure. I will not be drawn into such squalid
affairs; I won't have my name spoken in such connection. Your mother has only
herself to blame if I am angry with her.«
    »Your anger goes beyond all bounds. At the very worst, mother behaved
imprudently, and with a very good motive. It is cruel that you should make her
suffer as she is doing.«
    Marian was being strengthened to resist. Her blood grew hot; the sensation
which once before had brought her to the verge of conflict with her father
possessed her heart and brain.
    »You are not a suitable judge of my behaviour,« replied Yule, severely.
    »I am driven to speak. We can't go on living in this way, father. For months
our home has been almost ceaselessly wretched, because of the ill-temper you are
always in. Mother and I must defend ourselves; we can't bear it any longer. You
must surely feel how ridiculous it is to make such a thing as happened this
morning the excuse for violent anger. How can I help judging your behaviour?
When mother is brought to the point of saying that she would rather leave home
and everything than endure her misery any longer, I should be wrong if I didn't
speak to you. Why are you so unkind? What serious cause has mother ever given
you?«
    »I refuse to argue such questions with you.«
    »Then you are very