"
She was so young when she said this that he was suddenly moved to an
affectionate fatherly tenderness--but he knew her now too well to
show it.
"No, you mustn't be selfish," he answered her almost drily. "We
can't lead our lives quite alone, you know--every step we take we
affect some one somewhere. Your aunt doesn't want your liberty--she
wants your affection."
"She wants to make me religious," Maggie brought out, staring at Mr.
Magnus.
"Ah, if you see that, you don't understand her," he answered. "How
should you--yet? She cares so deeply for her religion that she
wishes naturally any one whom she loves to share it with her. But if
you don't--"
"If you don't?" cried Maggie, springing up from her seat and facing
him.
"I'm sure she would wish to influence no one," he continued gravely.
"You've seen for yourself how apart her life is. She is too
conscious of the necessity for her own liberty--"
"It isn't liberty, it's slavery," Maggie caught him up passionately.
"Do you suppose I haven't watched all these weeks? What does her
religion do but shut her off from everything and everybody? Is she
kind to Aunt Elizabeth? No, she isn't, and you know it.
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