th, which my friend will
tell you, and if you will read and believe the confirmation of it, under
your son's own hand, in this packet.'

'His own hand indeed! His seal unbroken. But how--when where--why was it
kept so long, and how came it into your hands?'

Count O'Halloran told Mr. Reynolds that the packet had been given to him
by Captain Reynolds on his deathbed; related the dying acknowledgment
which Captain Reynolds had made of his marriage; and gave an account
of the delivery of the packet to the ambassador, who had promised to
transmit it faithfully. Lord Colambre told the manner in which it had
been mislaid, and at last recovered from among the deceased ambassador's
papers. The father still gazed at the direction, and re-examined the
seals.

'My son's handwriting--my son's seals! But where is the certificate of
the marriage?' repeated he; 'if it is withinside of this packet, I have
done great IN--but I am convinced it never was a marriage. 'Yet I
wish now it could be proved--only, in that case, I have for years done
great--'

'Won't you open the packet, sir?' said Lord Colambre. Mr. Reynolds
looked up at him with a look that said, 'I don't clearly know what
interest you have in all this.' But, unable to speak, and his hands
trembling so that he could scarcely break the seals, he tore off the
cover, laid the papers before him, sat down, and took breath. Lord
Colambre, however impatient, had now too much humanity to hurry the
old gentleman; he only ran for the spectacles, which he espied on the
chimney-piece, rubbed them bright, and held them ready. Mr. Reynolds
stretched his hand out for them, put them on, and the first paper he
opened was the certificate of the marriage; he read it aloud, and,
putting it down, said--

'Now I acknowledge the marriage. I always said, if there is a marriage
there must be a certificate. And you see now there is a certificate I
acknowledge the marriage.'

'And now,' cried Lord Colambre, 'I am happy, positively happy.
Acknowledge your grand-daughter, sir--acknowledge Miss Nugent.'

'Acknowledge who, sir?'

'Acknowledge Miss Reynolds--your grand-daughter; I ask no more--do what
you will with your fortune.'

'Oh, now I understand--I begin to understand this young gentleman is
in love--but where is my grand-daughter?--how shall I know she is my
grand-daughter? I have not heard of her since she was an infant--I
forgot her existence--I have done her great injustice.'

'She kn