She treats them so imperiously, that they
admire her, and are proud to have such a mistress. But she is convinced
at last, I believe, that she will never get me to do as she pleases; and
therefore hates me so heartily, that she can hardly keep her ladylike
hands off me. I do not think I have been unreasonable; I have not found
it difficult to obey others that were set over me; but when I found
almost her every requirement part of a system for reducing me to a
slavish obedience, I began to lay down lines of my own. I resolved to do
at once whatever she asked me, whether pleasant to me or not, so long as
I saw no reason why it should not be done. Then I was surprised to find
how seldom I had to make a stand against her wishes. At the same time,
the mode in which she conveyed her pleasure, was invariably such as to
make a pretty strong effort of the will necessary for compliance with it.
But the effort to overcome the difficulty caused by her manner, helped to
develop in me the strength to resist where it was not right to yield. By
far the most serious difference we had yet had, arose about six months
ago, when she insisted I should make myself agreeable to a certain lady,
whom I by no means disliked. She had planned our marriage, I believe, as
one of her parallels in the siege of the lady's noble father, then a
widower of a year. I told her I would not lay myself out to please any
lady, except I wanted to marry her.
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