I did sure, enough, and it's true too. I thought
to do my darling a service, and I cared little for my own soul. So
young and so beautiful too. And it's a nice pair ye would have made.
And it's I that have kilt him! Och hone!" cried Norah, wringing her
withered hands.

"Killed him, Norah! What have you done?--tell me directly," screamed
Emily, shaking the old hag with all her force--"Quick!"

The old nurse seemed to have all the violence of her mistress's feelings
communicated to her as she cried out, with a face of horror, "It was all
for ye that I did it. It's the master that made me do it. He said my
darling would be a beggar. It's the poison for the rats he's taken.
Och, och hone!" and the old woman sank on the floor, covering up her
head, while Emily flew shrieking out of the room.

When McElvina and his party quitted the castle, they returned to
McElvina's house. "I cannot but pity Mr Rainscourt," observed the
vicar; "indeed, I wish that, notwithstanding his violence, we had not
quitted him without making the communication."

"So do I," replied McElvina; "but the injustice of his accusation
prevented me; and I must confess that I have some pleasure in allowing
him to remain twenty-four hours in suspense--longer than that, not even
my revenge has stomach for."

"I am afraid," observed Debriseau, "that we have done unwisely. The
violence and selfishness of the man's character are but too well known,
and Seymour is in his power."

"Do not be so uncharitable, sir," replied the vicar, gravely. "Mr
Rainscourt, with all his faults, is incapable of anything so base as
what you have hinted at."

"I trust I have done him injustice," replied Debriseau; "but I saw that
in his eye, during the interview, which chilled my blood when I thought
of your young friend."

"At all events, when I go up to-morrow morning to see how Seymour is, I
think it will be right to inform Mr Rainscourt of the facts. I shall
be there by daylight. Will you accompany me, sir?" said McElvina to the
vicar.

"With pleasure," replied the other; and from this arrangement the vicar
and McElvina were at the castle, and had sent their cards in to Mr
Rainscourt, at the very time that Emily had beckoned the old nurse out
of the chamber.

As long as the deed still remained to be done, the conflict between the
conscience and the evil intentions of Rainscourt had been dreadful; but
now that it was done, now that the Rubicon had been pass