act as you please, after the disclosures
that I have voluntarily given you? And let me remark, sir, that if I
listen humbly to your reproaches--if I even acknowledge my fault--the
sense of manhood is not dead in my soul. You talk of 'merchandise' and
'goods,' as if you came here to buy something! You allude to my Lenora,
do you? All your wealth, sir, could not purchase her! and, if love is
not powerful enough in your eyes to obliterate the pecuniary inequality
between us, know that I am a De Vlierbeck, and that name, even in
poverty, weighs more than all your money!"

During this explosion his face kindled with indignation and his eyes
shot forth their fiery rays upon the merchant, who, alarmed by the loud
words and animated gestures of De Vlierbeck, regarded him with an air of
stupefaction from the other side of the apartment.

"Good God, sir," said he at last, "there is no need of so much violence
and loud talk! Each of us remains where he is; each keeps what he has,
and the affair is at an end. I have but one request to make of you, and
it is that you will never again receive my nephew,--or else--"

"Or else?" interrupted De Vlierbeck, passionately; "do you _dare_ to
threaten me?" But, restraining himself almost instantly, he continued,
with comparative calmness, "Enough! Shall I call Monsieur Denecker's
carriage?"

"If you please," replied the merchant. "We cannot do business together,
it seems; but that is no reason why we should become enemies."

"Well! well! we will stop short of that, sir. But this conversation
annoys me; it must end!" And, so saying, he led Monsieur Denecker to the
door and bade him farewell abruptly. Be Vlierbeck returned to the
parlor, fell into his chair and covered his brow with both hands, as a
heavy groan burst from his breast, which heaved with almost hysterical
emotion. For a long time he remained silent and motionless; but soon his
hands fell heavily on his knees, a deathly paleness overspread his face,
and the room whirled around the heart-broken man.

Suddenly he heard footsteps in the chamber above, and, rousing himself
by a strong effort, "Oh, God! my poor child!" cried he; "my poor
Lenora! She comes! my punishment is not yet complete! I must break the
heart of my own child; I must tear from it all its hopes, blot out its
dream, behold it withered up with grief! Oh that I could escape this
dreadful disclosure! Alas! What to say to her? how to explain it?"

A bitter smile con