rmit him to
pass unscathed, as if his victim had neither father nor brother to
protect and avenge her injured honour?"

"Her honour is not injured. She is as innocent and as pure as before
Lord Alphingham addressed her. Percy, you are increasing this just
displeasure by imaginary causes. I do not believe it to be love for him
that occasions her present suffering; I think, from the conversations we
have had, it is much more like remorse for the past, and bitter grief
that the confidence of our parents must, spite of their excessive
kindness, be for a time entirely withdrawn, not any lingering affection
for Alphingham."

"Whatever it be, he is the primary cause. Not injured! every word of
love from his lips is pollution; his asking her of my father an
atrocious insult; his endeavours to fly with her a deadly sin--an
undying stain."

Herbert shuddered involuntarily.

"What would you say, or mean?" he exclaimed.

"What have you heard or known concerning him, that calls for words like
these?"

"Ask me not, as you love me; it is enough I know he is a villain," and
Percy continued his rapid walk. Herbert rose from his seat and
approached him.

"Percy," he said, "my dear brother, tell me what is it you would do? to
what would this unwonted passion lead? Oh, let it not gain too great a
dominion, Percy. Dear Percy, what would you do?"

"I would seek him, Herbert," replied Percy, "where ever he is; by whom
surrounded. I would taunt him as a deceiving, heartless villain, and if
he demand satisfaction, by heaven, it would be joy for me to give it!"

"Has passion, then, indeed obtained so much ascendancy, it would be joy
for you to meet him thus for blood?" demanded Herbert, fixing his large,
melancholy eyes intently on Percy's face, on which the cloud was
becoming darker, and his step even more rapid. "Would you seek him for
the purpose of exciting anger like your own? is it thus you would avenge
my sister?"

"Thus, and only thus," answered Percy, with ungoverned fury. "As others
have done; man to man I would meet him, and villain as he is, I would
have honourable vengeance for the insult, not only to my sister, but to
us all. Why should I stay my hand?"

"Why? because on you more than on many others has the light of our
blessed religion dawned," answered Herbert, calmly; "because you know
what others think not of, that the law of our Master forbiddeth blood;
that whosoever sheds it, on whatever plea, his shall be dem