roperty, you did not even scruple to grasp
at, and which has certainly mightily recovered itself under your careful
and parsimonious hand. But, nevertheless, though I claim all that is my
own, I claim neither the title nor the estates of Byerdale. Wilton, my
boy, stand forward, and let any one who ever saw or knew your gallant
and noble father, and your mother, who is now a saint in heaven, say if
they do not see in you a blended image of the two."
"He was his natural child! he was his natural child!" cried Henry
Sherbrooke, starting up from his seat. "I ascertained it beyond a doubt!
I have proof! I have proof!"
"Again, false man?--Again?" said Lennard Sherbrooke.
"Cannot shame keep you silent? You have no proof! You can have no
proof!--You found no proof of the marriage--granted; because care was
taken that you should not. But I have proof sufficient, sir. This lady,
whom I must call in this land Mistress Helen Oswald, though the late
King bestowed upon her father and herself a rank higher than that to
which she now lays claim, was present at the private marriage of her
sister to my brother, by a Protestant clergyman, before Sir Harry Oswald
ever quitted England. There is also the woman servant, who was present
likewise, still living and ready to be produced; and if more be wanting,
here is the certificate of the clergyman himself, signed in due form,
together with my brother's solemn attestation of his marriage, given
before he went to the fatal battle in which he fell. To possess yourself
of these papers, of the existence of which you yourself must have
entertained some suspicions, you used unjustifiable arts towards this
noble Earl of Sunbury, which were specious enough even to deceive his
wisdom; but I obtained information of the facts, and frustrated your
devices."
"Ay," said Harry Sherbrooke, "through my worthy son, doubtless, through
my worthy son, who, beyond all question, used his leisure hours in
reading, privately, his father's letters and despatches, for the great
purpose of making that father a beggar!"
"I call Heaven to witness!" exclaimed the young gentleman, clasping his
hands together eagerly. But Lord Sunbury interposed.
"No, sir," he said, "your son needed no such arts to learn that fact, at
least; for even before I sent over the papers to you which you demanded,
I wrote to your son, telling him the facts, in order to guard against
their misapplication. Unfortunate circumstances prevented his receiving
my letter in time to answer