his existence. That, too, is best so, for I would not have
him claim my boy. Never let him learn that Justin exists,
unless it be to punish him by the knowledge for his cruel
desertion of me."

Choking, the writing blurred by tears that he accounted no
disgrace to his young manhood, Everard had sworn in that hour
that Justin should be as a son to him. He would do her will,
and he set upon it a more definite meaning than she intended.
Rotherby should remain in ignorance of his son's existence
until such season as should make the knowledge a very anguish
to him. He would rear Justin in bitter hatred of the foul
villain who had been his father; and with the boy's help, when
the time should be ripe, he would lay my Lord Rotherby in
ruins. Thus should my lord's sin come to find him out.

This Everard had sworn, and this he had done. He had told
Justin the story almost as soon as Justin was of an age to
understand it. He had repeated it at very frequent intervals,
and as the lad grew, Everard watched in him - fostering it by
every means in his power - the growth of his execration for
the author of his days, and of his reverence for the sweet,
departed saint that had been his mother.

For the rest, he had lavished Justin nobly for his mother's
sake. The repurchased estates of Maligny, with their handsome
rent roll, remained Justin's own, administered by Sir Richard
during the lad's minority and vastly enriched by the care of
that administration. He had sent the lad to Oxford, and
afterwards - the more thoroughly to complete his education -