by the voice of Ranulph, commanding him to stay.

"Mr. Coates," said he, "however appearances may be against this man, he
is no robber--you must, therefore, release him."

"Eh day, what's that? release him, Sir Ranulph?"

"Yes, sir; I tell you he came here neither with the intent to rob nor to
offer violence."

"That is false, Ranulph," replied Lady Rookwood. "I was dragged hither
by him at the peril of my life. He is Mr. Coates's prisoner on another
charge."

"Unquestionably, your ladyship is perfectly right; I have a warrant
against him for assaulting Hugh Badger, the keeper, and for other
misdemeanors."

"I will myself be responsible for his appearance to that charge,"
replied Ranulph. "Now, sir, at once release him."

"At your peril!" exclaimed Lady Rookwood.

"Well, really," muttered the astonished attorney, "this is the most
perplexing proceeding I ever witnessed."

"Ranulph," said Lady Rookwood, sternly, to her son, "beware how you
thwart me!"

"Yes, Sir Ranulph, let me venture to advise you, as a friend, not to
thwart her ladyship," whispered the attorney; "indeed, she is in the
right." But seeing his advice unheeded, Coates withdrew to a little
distance.

"I will not see injustice done to my father's son," replied Ranulph, in
a low tone. "Why would you detain him?"

"Why?" returned she, "our safety demands it--our honor."

"Our honor demands his instant liberation; each moment he remains in
those bonds sullies its purity. I will free him myself from his
fetters."

"And brave my curse, foolish boy? You incurred your miserable father's
anathema for a lighter cause than this. Our honor cries aloud for his
destruction. Have I not been injured in the nicest point a woman can be
injured? Shall I lend my name to mockery and scorn, by base
acknowledgment of such deceit, or will you? Where would be my honor,
then, stripped of my fair estates--my son--myself--beggars--dependent on
the bounty of an upstart? Does honor ask you to bear this? It is a
phantom sense of honor, unsubstantial as your father's shade, of which
you just now spoke, that would prompt you to do otherwise."

"Do not evoke his awful spirit, mother," cried Ranulph, with a shudder;
"do not arouse his wrath."

"Do not arouse _my_ wrath," returned Lady Rookwood. "I am the more to be
feared. Think of Eleanor Mowbray; the bar between your nuptials is
removed. Would you raise up a greater impediment?"

"Enough, mother; more than enough.