But any such hope could depend only on the possession of the money which she now claimed as her own. Melmotte had endeavoured to throw a certain supplicatory pathos into the question he had asked her; but, though he was in some degree successful with his voice, his eyes and his mouth and his forehead still threatened her. He was always threatening her. All her thoughts respecting him reverted to that inward assertion that he might "cut her to pieces" if he liked. He repeated his question in the pathetic strain. "Will you do this now,--to save us all from ruin?" But his eyes still threatened her.
"No;" she said, looking up into his face as though watching for the personal attack which would be made upon her; "no, I won't."
"Marie!" exclaimed Madame Melmotte.

Melmotte had tried to throw pathos into his voice, but his eyes and his face still threatened her. He was always threatening her. He now repeated his question in the pathetic strain.
"Will you do this now, to save us all from ruin?"
"No," she said. 