rbet.

"I wish to ask your opinion," he proceeded, "as to allowing my son to be
present. He himself wishes it, and asked my consent; but as his sister
entertains such an unaccountable prejudice against him, I had doubts
as to whether he ought to appear at all. There are, also, as you know,
other reasons."

"I don't see any reason, sir, that ought to exclude him the moment the
marriage words are pronounced. I think, sir, with humility, that it is
not only his right, but his duty, to be present, and that it is a very
proper occasion for you to acknowledge him openly."

"It would be a devilish good hit at Dunroe, for, between you and me,
Corbet, I fear that his heart is fixed more upon the Gourlay estates and
her large fortune than upon the girl herself."

If I might advise, sir, I think he ought to be present."

"And the moment the ceremony is over, be introduced to his
brother-in-law. A good hit. I shall do it. Send word to him, then,
Corbet. As it must be done some time, it may as well be done now.
Dunroe will of course be too much elated, as he ought to be, to feel the
blow--or to appear to feel it, at all events--for decency's sake, you
know, he must keep up appearances; and if it were only on that account,
we will avail ourselves of the occasion which presents itself. This is
another point gained. I think I may so 'Bravo!' Corbet: I have managed
everything admirably, and accomplished all my purposes single-handed."

Thomas Corbet himself, deep and cunning as he was, yet knew not how much
he had been kept in the dark as to the events of this fateful day. He
had seen his father the day before, as had his sister, and they both
felt surprised at the equivocal singularity of his manner, well and.
thoroughly as they imagined they had known him. It was, in fact, at his
suggestion that the baronet's son had been induced to ask permission to
be present at the wedding, and also to be then and there acknowledged;
a fact which the baronet either forgot or omitted to mention to
Corbet. Anthony also insisted that his daughter should make one of the
spectators, under pain of disclosing to Sir Thomas the imposition that
had been practised on him in the person of her son. Singular as it may
appear, this extraordinary old man, in the instance before us, moved, by
his peculiar knowledge and sagacity, as if he had them on wires,
almost every person with whom he came in contact, or whose presence he
considered necessary on the occa