to each other in dreams. Bind them by worldly ties; wed your son,
in the time to come, to another woman, and my grand-daughter to
another man. In vain! I tell you, in vain! You may doom them to
misery, you may drive them to sin--the day of their union on
earth is still a day predestined in heaven. It will come! it will
come! Submit, while the time for submission is yours. You are a
doomed man. I see the shadow of disaster, I see the seal of
death, on your face. Go; and leave these consecrated ones to walk
the dark ways of the world together, in the strength of their
innocence, in the light of their love. Go--and God forgive you!"
In spite of himself, my father was struck by the irresistible
strength of conviction which inspired those words. The bailiff's
mother had impressed him as a tragic actress might have impressed
him on the stage. She had checked the mocking answer on his lips,
but she had not shaken his iron will. His face was as hard as
ever when he turned my way once more.

"The last chance, George, " he said, and counted the last number:
"Three!"

I neither moved nor answered him.

"You _will_ have it?" he said, as he fastened his hold on my arm.

I fastened _my_ hold on Mary; I whispered to her, "I won't leave
you!" She seemed not to hear me. She trembled from head to foot
in my arms. A faint cry of terror fluttered from her lips.
Dermody instantly stepped forward. Before my father could wrench
me away from her, he had said in my ear, "You can give her to
_me_, Master George," and had released his child from my embrace.