nothing."

"What I say is true," she replied, solemnly, "and you have stated,
Thomas Gourlay, what you know to be a falsehood; I would be glad to
discover you uttering truth unless with some evil intention. But now for
your daughter; you wish to hear her fate?"

"Certainly I do; but then you know nothing. You charge me with
falsehood, but it is yourself that are the liar."

She waved her hand indignantly.

"Will my daughter's husband be a man of title?" he asked, his mind
passing to the great and engrossing object of his ambition.

"He will be a man of title," she replied, "and he will make her a
countess."

"You must take money," said he, thrusting his hand into his pocket, and
once more pulling out his purse--"that is worth something, surely."

She waved her hand again, with a gesture of repulse still more indignant
and frightful than before, and the bitter smile she gave while doing it
again displayed her corpse-like teeth in a manner that was calculated to
excite horror itself.

"Very well," replied the baronet; "I will not press you, only don't make
such cursed frightful grimaces. But with respect to my daughter, will
the marriage be with her own consent?"