Look into your own heart, Sir Thomas, and see whether you are not
willing to risk her peace of mind for the miserable ambition of seeing
her one day a countess. Alas! my friend," he continued, "there is no
talisman in the coronet of a countess to stay the progress of sorrow, or
check the decline of a breaking heart. If Miss Gourlay be, as I fear
she is, averse to this union, do not sacrifice her to ambition and a
profligate. She is too precious a treasure to be thrown away upon two
objects so utterly worthless. Her soul is too pure to be allied to
contamination--her heart too noble, too good, too generous, to be broken
by unavailing grief and a repentance that will probably come too late."

"If I assure you, my lord, that she is not averse to the
match--nay"--and here this false man consoled his conscience by falling
back upon the prophecy of Ginty Cooper--"if I assure you that she will
marry Dunroe willingly--nay, with delight, will your lordship then rest
satisfied?"

"I must depend upon your word, Sir Thomas; am I not in conversation with
a gentleman?"

"Well, then, my lord, I assure you that it is so. Your lordship will
find, when the time comes, that my daughter is not only not
indisposed to this union, but absolutely anxious to become your
daughter-in-law"--bad as he was, he could not force himself to say,
in so many plain words, "the wife of your son"--"But, my lord," he
proceeded, "if you will permit me to make a single observation, I will
thank you, and I trust you will excuse me besides."

"Unquestionably, Sir Thomas."