Una shall be well dressed and educated and trained , Mr. Meredith , and I shall give her music and painting lessons and treat her as if she was my own . '' Mr. Meredith was wide enough awake by this time . There was a faint flush in his pale cheek and a dangerous light in his fine dark eyes . Was this woman , whose vulgarity and consciousness of money oozed out of her at every pore , actually asking him to give her Una -- his dear little wistful Una with Cecilia 's own dark-blue eyes -- the child whom the dying mother had clasped to her heart after the other children had been led weeping from the room . Cecilia had clung to her baby until the gates of death had shut between them . She had looked over the little dark head to her husband . `` Take good care of her , John , '' she had entreated . `` She is so small -- and sensitive . The others can fight their way -- but the world will hurt HER . Oh , John , I do n't know what you and she are going to do . You both need me so much . But keep her close to you -- keep her close to you . '' These had been almost her last words except a few unforgettable ones for him alone . And it was this child whom Mrs. Davis had coolly announced her intention of taking from him . He sat up straight and looked at Mrs. Davis . In spite of the worn dressing gown and the frayed slippers there was something about him that made Mrs. Davis feel a little of the old reverence for `` the cloth '' in which she had been brought up . After all , there WAS a certain divinity hedging a minister , even a poor , unworldly , abstracted one . `` I thank you for your kind intentions , Mrs. Davis , '' said Mr. Meredith with a gentle , final , quite awful courtesy , `` but I can not give you my child . '' Mrs. Davis looked blank . She had never dreamed of his refusing .
`` Why , Mr. Meredith , '' she said XXXXX astonishment .
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