Mr Harcourt, for interrupting you, but I require no
ambassador from the ladies in question. They may make you their
confidant if they please, but I am not at all inclined to do the same.
Explanation, after what I witnessed and felt this morning, is quite
unnecessary. I surrender all claims upon either Lady de Clare or her
daughter, if I ever was so foolhardy as to imagine that I had any. The
first reason of your visit it is therefore useless to proceed with. May
I ask the other reason which has procured me this honour?"

"I hardly know, Mr Newland," replied Harcourt, colouring deeply,
"whether after what you have now said I ought to proceed with the
second--it related to myself."

"I am all attention, Mr Harcourt," replied I bowing politely.

"It was to say, Mr Newland, that I should have taken the earliest
opportunity after my recovery, had you not disappeared so strangely, to
have expressed my sorrow for my conduct towards you, and to have
acknowledged that I had been deservedly punished: more perhaps by my own
feelings of remorse, than by the dangerous wound I had received by your
hand. I take even this opportunity, although not apparently a
favourable one, of expressing what I consider it my duty, as a gentleman
who has wronged another, to express. I certainly was going to add more,
but there is so little chance of its being well received, that I had
better defer it to some future opportunity. The time may come, and I
certainly trust it will come, when I may be allowed to prove to you that
I am not deserving of the coolness with which I am now received. Mr
Newland, with every wish for your happiness, I will now take my leave;
but I must say, it is with painful sentiments, as I feel that the result
of this interview, will be the cause of great distress to those who are
bound to you not only by gratitude, but sincere regard."

Harcourt then bowed, and quitted the room.

"It's all very well," muttered I, "but I know the world, and am not to
be soothed down by a few fine words. I trust that they will be sorry
for their conduct, but see me again inside their doors they will not;"
and I sat down, trying to feel satisfied with myself--but I was not; I
felt that I had acted harshly, to say no more. I ought to have listened
to an explanation sent by Cecilia and her mother, after her coming down
stairs to expostulate. They were under great obligations to me, and by
my quick resentment, I rendered the obligatio