ad been
educated, to ask questions and urge objections,

"Thou hast truly, Master Arundel," he said, "made out a case of great
hardship, if the view taken by thee be correct; and, understand me, I
doubt not thine entire sincerity. But what further testimony than that
of the young lady hast thou, her representations being contradicted by
Master Spikeman?"

"What!" cried the young man, with some warmth, "is not the word of
Eveline sufficient to outweigh the prevarications of a thousand
tricksters like this Spikeman?"

"This is no proper language," said Winthrop, a little sternly, "but
_Amor semper coecus_," he added, smiling, "This rule I take to be
without exception. Am I to understand that thou hast no further
proof?"

"There is the asseveration of Eveline Dunning, met only by the denial
of the Assistant Spikeman, who would deny every truth, so only it were
necessary for his purpose."

"Thou dost prejudice thy cause by want of moderation. It seemeth me,
however, that Master Spikeman hath no necessity to join issue with
thee on the facts, and that a bare demurrer were all-sufficient to
throw thee out of court. Forgive me for inflicting this pain, but I do
it not without a motive, which is to possess thee fully of the manner
in which this matter is viewed by others."

"There is then no justice in this land," cried the young man.

"I have thus far," Winthrop went on without heeding the exclamation,
"considered the case, under the supposition of a denial on the part of
Master Spikeman (whom thou dost not deny to be the rightly constituted
guardian of Mistress Dunning) of the facts which, in thy opinion,
impose on him a duty to give thee his ward in marriage. But suppose,
as I have said, he were to demur to thy declaration, that is to say,
admit the truth of all thou hast said, but deny that any obligation
resulted therefrom to comply with thy wishes, would thy condition be
thereby bettered?"

"Admitting the facts, I see not how he could do otherwise than hasten
to perform the desire of his deceased friend; but this he will never
do, forsworn and treacherous that he is."

"Thus may passion speak, but not so the unprejudiced reason concerning
thy difference with Master Spikeman. Might he not reply to thy
reproaches--that it was only when Master Dunning was weakened by
sickness that he did yield to importunity; but that in the days of
unclouded health, and when the mind sat like a king upon his throne,
he did stea