laughed at me for a credulous and hood-winked fool; and now, because
I dared to raise my hand to that reckless boy, you confess your shame,
and glory in the confession!"

"Mother, dear mother!" cried the young man, in a paroxysm of grief,
"say that you did not mean those words; you said them but in anger!
See, I am calm now, and he may strike me if he will."

Lady Devine shuddered, creeping close, as though to hide herself
in the broad bosom of her son.

The old man continued: "I married you, Ellinor Wade, for your beauty;
you married me for my fortune. I was a plebeian, a ship's carpenter;
you were well born, your father was a man of fashion, a gambler,
the friend of rakes and prodigals. I was rich. I had been knighted.
I was in favour at Court. He wanted money, and he sold you.
I paid the price he asked, but there was nothing of your cousin,
my Lord Bellasis and Wotton, in the bond."

"Spare me, sir, spare me!" said Lady Ellinor faintly.

"Spare you! Ay, you have spared me, have you not? Look ye," he cried,
in sudden fury, "I am not to be fooled so easily. Your family are proud.
Colonel Wade has other daughters. Your lover, my Lord Bellasis,
even now, thinks to retrieve his broken fortunes by marriage.
You have confessed your shame. To-morrow your father, your sisters,
all the world, shall know the story you have told me!"

"By Heaven, sir, you will not do this!" burst out the young man.