She may be watching us herself. She is a terrible woman when
she is for or against anything. Literally, I do not know what she would
not do to get her own way. She lives for her own way. The loss of it
would be to her as the loss of her soul. She will lose it this time
though! She will fail this time--if she never did before!"
"Well," I returned, nowise inclined to take her part, "I hope she will
fail! What does she say?"
"She says she would rather go to her grave than see me your husband."
"Why?"
"Your family seems objectionable to her."
"What is there against it?"
"Nothing that I know."
"What is there against my uncle? Is there anything against Martha Moon?"
I was indignant at the idea of a whisper against either.
"What have _I_ done?" I went on. "We are all of the family I know: what
is it?"
"I don't think she has had time to invent anything yet; but she pretends
there is something, and says if I don't give you up, if I don't swear
never to look at you again, she will tell it."
"What did you answer her?"
"I said no power on earth should make me give you up. Whatever she knew,
she could know nothing against _you_, and I was as ready to go to my
grave as she was. 'Mother,' I said, 'you may tell my determination by
your own! Whether I marry her or not, you and I part company the day I
come of age; and if you speak word or do deed against one of her family,
my lawyer shall look strictly into your accounts as my guardian.
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