It was afterwards said by some of those who had seen her at the time, that Marie Melmotte had shown a hard heart on the occasion. But the condemnation was wrong. Her feeling for her father was certainly not that which we are accustomed to see among our daughters and sisters. He had never been to her the petted divinity of the household, whose slightest wish had been law, whose little comforts had become matters of serious care, whose frowns were horrid clouds, whose smiles were glorious sunshine, whose kisses were daily looked for, and if missed would be missed with mourning. How should it have been so with her? In all the intercourses of her family, since the first rough usage which she remembered, there had never been anything sweet or gracious. Though she had recognised a certain duty, as due from herself to her father, she had found herself bound to measure it, so that more should not be exacted from her than duty required. She had long known that her father would fain make her a slave for his own purposes, and that if she put no limits to her own obedience he certainly would put none. She had drawn no comparison between him and other fathers, or between herself and other daughters, because she had never become conversant with the ways of other families. After a fashion she had loved him, because nature creates love in a daughter's heart; but she had never respected him, and had spent the best energies of her character on a resolve that she would never fear him. 
It was afterwards said by some that Marie Melmotte had shown a hard heart. But the condemnation was wrong. Her feeling for her father had certainly not been affectionate. How could it have been? He had never been sweet or gracious. She had recognised her duty to her father, and had not gone beyond it. She had long known that her father would make her a slave for his own purposes if he could. She had never compared him to other fathers, because she had never known any other families well. After a fashion she had loved him; but she had never respected him, and had spent much of her energy on a resolve never to fear him.
