ession.

"It may be good to gratify him," he replied; "and as the note can be of
little use now, we had better let him have it."

He accordingly sent it to him by Dandy, who could observe that the
possession of it seemed to give him peculiar satisfaction.

Had not the stranger been a man capable of maintaining great restraint
over the exercise of very strong feelings, he could never have conducted
himself with so much calmness and self-control in his interview with
Lady Gourlay and poor Fenton. His own heart during all the time was in
a tumult of perfect distraction, but this was occasioned by causes that
bore no analogy to those that passed before him. From the moment he
heard that Lucy's marriage had been fixed for the next day but one, he
felt as if his hold upon hope and life, and all that they promised him,
was lost, and his happiness annihilated forever; he felt as if reason
were about to abandon him, as if all existence had become dark, and the
sun himself had been struck out of the system of the universe. He could
not rest, and only with difficulty think at all as a sane man ought. At
length he resolved to see the baronet, at the risk of life or death--in
spite of every obstacle--in despite of all opposition;--perish social
forms and usages--perish the insolence of wealth, and the jealous
restrictions of parental tyranny. Yes, perish one and all, sooner than
he, a man, with an unshrinking heart, and a strong arm, should tamely
suitor that noble girl to be sacrificed, ay, murdered, at the shrine
of a black and guilty ambition. Agitated, urged, maddened, by these
considerations, he went to the baronet's house with a hope of seeing
him, but that hope was frustrated. Sir Thomas was out.

"Was Miss Gourlay at home?"

"No; she too had gone out with her father," replied Gibson, who happened
to open the door.

"Would you be kind enough, sir, to deliver a note to Miss Gourlay?"

"I could not, sir; I dare not."

"I will give you five pounds, if you do."

"It is impossible, sir; I should lose my situation instantly if I
attempted to deliver it. Miss Gourlay, sir, will receive no letters
unless through her father's hands, and besides, sir, we have repeatedly
had the most positive orders not to receive any from you, above all men
living."

"I will give you ten pounds."

Gibson shook his head, but at the same time the expression of his
countenance began manifestly to relax, and he licked his lips as he
replied,