nd warned you that I thought
she would refuse me."

"Refuse you," said the earl, with a contortion of his nose and lips
intended to convey unutterable scorn; "of course she refused you, when
you asked her as a child would ask for an apple, or a cake! What else
could you expect?"

"I hardly think your lordship knows--"

"Don't you hardly think?--then I do know; and know well too. I know you
have deceived me, grossly deceived me--induced me to give you money--to
incur debts, with which I never would have burdened myself had I not
believed you were sincere in your promise. But you have deceived me,
sir--taken me in; for by heaven it's no better!--it's no better than
downright swindling--and that from a son to his father! But it's for
the last time; not a penny more do you get from me: you can ruin the
property; indeed, I believe you have; but, for your mother's and
sister's sake, I'll keep till I die what little you have left me."

Lord Cashel had worked himself up into a perfect frenzy, and was
stamping about the room as he uttered this speech; but, as he came to
the end of it, he threw himself into his chair again, and buried his
face in his hands.

Lord Kilcullen was standing with his back resting against the
mantel-piece, with a look of feigned indifference on his face, which
he tried hard to maintain. But his brow became clouded, and he bit his
lips when his father accused him of swindling; and he was just about to
break forth into a torrent of recrimination, when Lord Cashel turned
off into a pathetic strain, and Kilcullen thought it better to leave
him there.

"What I'm to do, I don't know; what I am to do, I do not know!" said
the earl, beating the table with one hand, and hiding his face with
the other. "Sixty thousand pounds in one year; and that after so many
drains!--And there's only my own life--there's only my own life!"--and
then there was a pause for four or five minutes, during which Lord
Kilcullen took snuff, poked the fire, and then picked up a newspaper,
as though he were going to read it. This last was too much for the
father, and he again roared out, "Well, sir, what are you standing
there for? If you've nothing else to say; why don't you go? I've done
with you--you can not get more out of me, I promise you!"

"I've a good deal to say before I go, my lord," said Kilcullen. "I was
waiting till you were disposed to listen to me. I've a good deal to
say, indeed, which you must hear; and I trust,