ou can easily feel how much such an attachment must have
been increased; how much every feeling of tenderness and affection
must have been augmented by the interest, the powerful interest of
that pursuit; how everything must have combined to confirm my love
for her for ever, while all my thoughts were bent upon saving her and
restoring her to your arms; while the whole feelings of my heart and
energies of my mind were busy with her, and her fate alone. Then, my
lord, when I came to defend her, at the hazard of my life; when I
came to contend for her with those who withheld her from you; when we
had to pass together several hours of danger and apprehension, with
her clinging to my arm, and with my arm only for her support and
protection, and when, at length, all my efforts proved successful,
and she was set free, was it wonderful, was it at all extraordinary,
that I loved her, or that she felt some slight interest and regard
for me? Since then, my lord, reflect on all that has taken place; how
constantly we have been together; how she has been accustomed to
treat me as the most intimate and dearest of her friends; how you
your self have said you looked upon me as your son--"
"But never in that sense, sir, never in that sense!" exclaimed the
Duke, glad to catch at any word to cut short a detail which was
telling somewhat strongly against him. "A son, sir, I said, a son,
not a son-in-law. But, however, to end the whole matter at once, Mr.
Wilton Brown, I am very willing to acknowledge the various services
you have rendered me, and which you have recapitulated somewhat at
length, and to acknowledge that there might be a great many motives
for falling in love with my daughter, without my attributing to you
any mercenary or ambitious motives. It is not that I blame you at all
for falling in love with her; that was but a folly for which you must
suffer your own punishment: but I do blame you very much, sir, for
trying to make her fall in love with you, when you must have known
perfectly well that her so doing would meet with the most decided
disapprobation from her father, and that your marriage was altogether
out of the question. I think that this very grave error might well
cancel all obligations between us; but, nevertheless, I am very
willing to recompense those services--" Wilton waved his hand
indignantly--"to recompense those services," continued the Duke; "to
testify my sense of them, in short, in any way that you will point
out."
"My lord, my lord," re