f, or your lights, by a crime--by a
crime so low, fraudulent, and base--that here, in the privacy of my own
chamber, and standing face to face with you, I am absolutely ashamed to
call you my son. Know, sir, that if it were a dukedom, I should scorn to
contest it, or to retain it, at the expense of my honor."

"That's all very fine talk, my lord; but, upon my soul, wherever I can
get an advantage, I'll take it. I see little of the honor or virtue
you speak of going, and, I do assure you, I won't be considered at all
remarkable for acting up to my own principles. On the contrary, it is by
following yours that I should be so."

"I think," said the old man, "that I see the hand of God in this.
Unfortunate, obstinate, and irreclaimable young man, it remains for me
to tell you that the very documents, which you say have been lost by the
villain M'Bride, with whom, in his villainy, you, the son of an earl,
did not hesitate to associate yourself, are now in the possession of
our opponents. Take those papers to your room," he added, bursting into
tears: "take them away, I am unable to prolong this interview, for
it has been to me a source of deeper affliction than the loss of the
highest title or honor that the hand of royalty could bestow."

When Dunroe was about to leave the room, the old man, who had again sat
down, said:

"Stop a moment. Of course it is unnecessary to say, I should hope, that
this union between you and Miss Gourlay cannot proceed."

Dunroe, who felt at once that if he allowed his father to suppose that
he persisted in it, the latter would immediately disclose his position
to the baronet, now replied:

"No, my lord, I have no great ambition for any kind of alliance with Sir
Thomas Gourlay. I never liked him personally, and I am sufficiently
a man of spirit, I trust, not to urge a marriage with a girl
who--who--cannot appreciate--" He paused, not knowing exactly how to
fill up the sentence.

"Who has no relish for it," added his father, "and can't appreciate your
virtues, you mean to say."

"What I mean to say, my lord, is, that where there is no great share
of affection on either side, there can be but little prospect of
happiness."

"Then you give up the match?"

"I give up the match, my lord, without a moment's hesitation. You may
rest assured of that."

"Because," added his father, "if I found that you persisted in it, and
attempted to enter the family, and impose yourself on this admirable