It
became necessary to speak plainly.
"And with what reason, Ralph Colleton, do you suppose that I will
sanction an alliance between you and my daughter? Upon what, I pray you,
do you ground your pretensions to the hand of Edith Colleton?"
Such was the haughty interrogation. Ralph was confounded.
"My pretensions, sir?--The hand of Edith!--Do I hear you right, uncle?
Do you really mean what you say?"
"My words are as I have said them. They are sufficiently explicit. You
need not misunderstand them. What, I ask, are your pretensions to the
hand of my daughter, and how is it that you have so far forgotten
yourself as thus to abuse my confidence, stealing into the affections of
my child?"
"Uncle, I have abused no confidence, and will not submit to any charge
that would dishonor me. What I have done has been done openly, before
all eyes, and without resort to cunning or contrivance. I must do myself
the justice to believe that you knew all this without the necessity of
my speech, and even while your lips spoke the contrary.
Pages:
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86