midnight
The family pride at which she had often laughed was strong within her , and could not at once be rooted out . All the fond household memories , though desecrated and trampled down , were not so soon to be forgotten . She could not own that half-crazed woman for her grandmother ! As Hagar talked Maggie had risen , and now , tall , and erect as the mountain ash which grew on her native hills , she stood before Hagar , every vestige of color faded from her face , her eyes dark as midnight and glowing like coals of living fire , while her hands , locked despairingly together , moved slowly towards Hagar , as if to thrust her aside . `` Oh , speak again ! '' she said , `` but not the dreadful words you said to me just now . Tell me they are false -- say that my father perished in the storm , that my mother was she who held me on her bosom when she died -- that I -- oh , Hagar , I am not -- I will not be the creature you say I am !