--and with her consent, I will."

"Never! You shall never live to call yourself the husband of my
daughter. I have striven and suffered,--as never woman strove and
suffered before, to give to my child the name and the rank which
belong to her. I did not do so that she might throw them away on such
a one as you. If you will deal honestly by us--"

"I have dealt by you more than honestly."

"If you will at once free her from this thraldom in which you hold
her, and allow her to act in accordance with the dictates of her own
heart--"

"That she shall do."

"If you will not hinder us in building up again the honour of the
family, which was nigh ruined by the iniquities of my husband, we
will bless you."

"I want but one blessing, Lady Lovel."

"And in regard to her money--"

"I do not expect you to believe me, Countess; but her money counts
as nothing with me. If it becomes hers and she becomes my wife, as
her husband I will protect it for her. But there shall be no dealing
between you and me in regard to money."

"There is money due to your father, Mr. Thwaite."

"If so, that can be paid when you come by your own. It was not lent
for the sake of a reward."

"And you will not liberate that poor girl from her thraldom."

"She can liberate herself if she will. I have told you what I will
do. Let her tell me to my face what she wishes."

"That she shall never do, Mr. Thwaite;--no, by heavens. It is not
necessary that she should have your consent to make such an alliance
as her friends think proper for her. You have entangled her by a
promise, foolish on her part, and very wicked on yours, and you
may work us much trouble. You may delay the settlement of all this
question,--perhaps for years; and half ruin the estate by prolonged
lawsuits; you may make it impossible for me to pay your father what
I owe him till he, and I also, shall be no more; but you cannot, and
shall not, have access to my daughter."

Daniel Thwaite, as he returned home, tried to think it all over
dispassionately. Was it as the Countess had represented? Was he
acting the part of the dog in the manger, robbing others of happiness
without the power of achieving his own? He loved the girl, and was
he making her miserable by his love? He was almost inclined to think
that the Countess had spoken truth in this respect.

END OF VOL. I.

Printed by Virtue and Co., City Road, London.

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