r stands already upon an
eminence to which Lord Ulswater in his loftiest visions could never
aspire. For the rest, madam, I adjure you, solemnly, as you value your
peace of mind, your daughter's happiness, your freedom from the agonies
of future remorse and unavailing regret,--I adjure you not to divorce
those whom God, who speaks in the deep heart and the plighted vow, has
already joined. This is a question in which your daughter's permanent
woe or lasting happiness from this present hour to the last sand of life
is concerned. It is to her that I refer it: let her be the judge."

And Clarence moved from Lady Westborough, who, agitated, confused, awed
by the spell of a power and a nature of which she had not dreamed, stood
pale and speechless, vainly endeavouring to reply: he moved from her
towards Lady Flora, who leaned, sobbing and convulsed with contending
emotions, against the wall; but Lord Ulswater, whose fiery blood
was boiling with passion, placed himself between Clarence and the
unfortunate object of the contention.

"Touch her not, approach her not!" he said, with a fierce and menacing
tone. "Till you have proved your pretensions superior to mine, unknown,
presuming, and probably base-born as you are, you will only pass over my
body to your claims."

Clarence stood still for one moment, evidently striving to master the
wrath which literally swelled his form beyond its ordinary proportions;
and Lady Westborough, recovering herself in the brief pause, passed
between the two, and, taking her daughter's arm, led her from the
pavilion.

"Stay, madam, for one instant!" cried Clarence, and he caught hold of
her robe.

Lady Westborough stood quite erect and still; and, drawing her stately
figure to its full height, said with that quiet dignity by which a
woman so often stills the angrier passions of men, "I lay the prayer and
command of a mother upon you, Lord Ulswater, and on you, sir, whatever
be your real rank and name, not to make mine and my daughter's presence
the scene of a contest which dishonours both. Still further, if Lady
Flora's hand and my approval be an object of desire to either, I make
it a peremptory condition with both of you, that a dispute already
degrading to her name pass not from word to act. For you, Mr. Linden,
if so I may call you, I promise that my daughter shall be left free and
unbiased to give that reply to your singular conduct which I doubt not
her own dignity and sense will sugg