plied Wilton, "you surely must wish to give me
more pain than that which I feel already. The services which I have
rendered were freely rendered. They have been repaid already, not by
your grace, but by my own heart and feelings. The only recompence I
ever proposed to myself was to know that they were really serviceable
and beneficial to those for whom they were done. I ask nothing of
your grace but that which you will not grant. But the time will
come, my lord,--"
"Do not flatter yourself, to your own disappointment!" interrupted
the Duke: "the time will never come when I shall change in this
respect. I grant my daughter a veto, as I promised her dear mother I
would, and she shall never marry a man she does not love; but I claim
a veto, too, Mr. Wilton Brown, and will not see her cast herself
away, even though she should wish it. The matter, sir, is altogether
at an end: it is out of the question, impossible, and it shall never
be."
The Duke rose from his chair as he spoke; and then went on, in a cold
tone:--"I certainly expected that you might come to-morrow, sir, but
not to-night, and I should have made in the morning such preparations
as would have prevented any unpleasant meeting between my daughter
and yourself in these circumstances. I must now give orders for her
to keep her room, as I cannot consent to your meeting, and of course
must not treat you inhospitably; but you will understand that the
circumstances prevent me from requesting you to protract your visit
beyond an early hour to-morrow morning."
"Your grace, I believe, mistakes my character a good deal," replied
Wilton: "I remain not an hour in a house where I am not welcome, and
I shall beg instantly to take my leave, as Somersbury must not be my
abode to-night."
His utterance was difficult, for his heart was too full to admit of
his speaking freely, and it required a great effort to prevent his
own feelings from bursting forth.
"But your horse must be tired," said the Duke, feeling somewhat
ashamed of the part he was acting.
"Not too tired, my lord," replied Wilton, "to bear his master from a
house where he is unwillingly received. Were it necessary, my lord, I
would walk, rather than force your grace to make any change in your
domestic arrangements. You will permit me to tell the porter to call
round my groom;" and going out for a moment, he bade the porter in a
loud clear voice order his horses to be saddled again, and his groom
to come round. He then returned to the chamber w