Ring it. Do what you asked _me_
to do. Call in the whole household, and ask them which of us is
mad--you or I."
"Mercy Merrick! you shall repent this to the last hour of your
life!"
Mercy rose again, and fixed her flashing eyes on the woman who
still defied her.
"I have had enough of you!" she said. "Leave the house while you
can leave it. Stay here, and I will send for Lady Janet Roy."
"You can't send for her! You daren't send for her!"
"I can and I dare. You have not a shadow of a proof against me. I
have got the papers; I am in possession of the place; I have
established myself in Lady Janet's confidence. I mean to deserve
your opinion of me--I will keep my dresses and my jewels and my
position in the house. I deny that I have done wrong. Society has
used me cruelly; I owe nothing to Society. I have a right to take
any advantage of it if I can. I deny that I have injured you. How
was I to know that you would come to life again? Have I degraded
your name and your character? I have done honor to both. I have
won everybody's liking and everybody's respect. Do you think Lady
Janet would have loved you as she loves me? Not she! I tell you
to your face I have filled the false position more creditably
than you could have filled the true one, and I mean to keep it.
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