e feelings, which impelled, I will not
say justified, me to pass your threshold under a feigned name. I entreat
you to judge kindly of my conduct; to pardon me: and not to make me feel
the bitterness that I have forfeited the good opinion of one for whom,
under all circumstances and in all situations, I must ever feel the
highest conceivable respect,--I would say a reverential regard."

His tones of passionate emotion ceased. Sybil, with a countenance
beautiful and disturbed, gazed at him for an instant, and seemed about
to speak, but her trembling lips refused the office; then with an
effort, turning to Gerard, she said, "My father, I am amazed; tell me,
then, who is this gentleman who addresses me?"

"The brother of Lord Marney, Sybil," said Gerard, turning to her.

"The brother of Lord Marney!" repeated Sybil, with an air almost of
stupor.

"Yes," said Egremont: "a member of that family of sacrilege, of those
oppressors of the people, whom you have denounced to me with such
withering scorn."

The elbow of Sybil rested on the arm of her chair, and her cheek upon
her hand; as Egremont said these words she shaded her face, which was
thus entirely unseen: for some moments there was silence. Then looking
up with an expression grave but serene, and as if she had just emerged
from some deep thinking, Sybil said, "I am sorry for my words; sorry for
the pain I unconsciously gave you; sorry indeed for all that has past:
and that my father has lost a pleasant friend."

"And why should he be lost?" said Egremont mournfully, and yet with
tenderness. "Why should we not still befriends?"

"Oh, sir!" said Sybil, haughtily; "I am one of those who believe the
gulf is impassable. Yes," she added, slightly but with singular
grace waving her hands, and somewhat turning away her head, "utterly
impassable."

There are tumults of the mind when like the great convulsions of nature
all seems anarchy and returning chaos, yet often in those moments of
vast disturbance, as in the material strife itself, some new principle
of order, or some new impulse of conduct, develops itself, and controls
and regulates and brings to an harmonious consequence, passions and
elements which seemed only to threaten despair and subversion. So it was
with Egremont. He looked for a moment in despair upon this maiden walled
out from sympathy by prejudices and convictions more impassable than all
the mere consequences of class. He looked for a moment, but onl