As she increased in years, her thoughts, as we have seen, were
verging more and more on the border of rebellion. But the habit of
obedience and submission still had its influence. Moreover, there
had been no strong motive and little opportunity for independent
action. Hoping not even for tolerance, much less for sympathy, she
kept her thoughts to herself, except as she occasionally relieved
her mind to her old mammy, Aun' Jinkey.
She came into the dining-room hastily at last, but the expression of
her face was impassive and inscrutable. She was received in solemn
silence, broken at first only by the long formal grace which Mr.
Baron never omitted and never varied. In her rebellious mood the
girl thought, "What a queer God it would be if he were pleased with
this old cut-and-dried form of words! All the time uncle's saying
them he is thinking how he'll show me his displeasure."
Mr. Baron evidently concluded that his best method at first would be
an expression of offended dignity, and the meal began in depressing
silence, which Mrs.
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