im.

"Well, my lord, soon after the disappearance of Lady Gourlay's child,
his own went in the same way; and no search, no hunt, no attempt to get
him ever succeeded. He, any more than the other, could not be got. My
lord, it was I removed him. I saw far before me, and it was I removed
him; yes, Thomas Gourlay, it was I left you childless--at least of a
son."

"You must yourself see, my lord," said the baronet, "that--that--when is
this marriage to take place?--what is this?--I am quite confused; let
me see, let me see--yes, he is such a villain, my lord, that you must
perceive he is entitled to no credit--to none whatsoever."

"Well, my lord," proceeded Corbet.

"I think, my lord," said Thomas Corbet, stepping forward, "that I ought
to acquaint your lordship with my father's infirmity. Of late, my lord,
he has been occasionally unsettled in his senses. I can prove this on
oath."

"And if what he states be true," replied his lordship, "I am not
surprised at it; it is only right we should hear him, however, as I
have already said, I can perceive no traces of insanity about him."

"Ah, my lord," replied the old man, "it would be well for him if he
could prove me mad, for then his nephew, the bastard, might have a
chance of succeeding to the Gourlay title, and the estates. But I must
go on. Well, my lord, after ten years or so, I came one day to Mr.
Gourlay--he was then called Sir Thomas--and I tould him that I had
relented, and couldn't do with his brother's son as I had promised, and
as he wished me. 'He is living,' said I, 'and I wish you would take him
undher your own care.' I won't wait to tell you the abuse I got from him
for not fulfillin' his wishes; but he felt he was in my power, and was
forced to continue my pension and keep himself quiet. Well, my lord,
I brought him the boy one night, undher the clouds of darkness, and we
conveyed him to a lunatic asylum."

Here he was interrupted by something between a groan and a scream from
Lady Gourlay, who, however, endeavored immediately to restrain her
feelings.

"From that day to this, my lord, the cruelty he received, sometimes
in one madhouse and sometimes in another, sometimes in England and
sometimes in Ireland, it would be terrible to know. Everything that
could wear away life was attempted, and the instruments in that black
villain's hands were well paid for their cruelty. At length, my lord,
he escaped, and wandhered about till he settled down in the t