Norwynne, your first guilt is so
enormous; your second, in steadfastly denying it, so base, this last
conduct so audacious; that from the present hour you must never dare to
call me relation, or to consider my house as your home."

William, in unison with his father, exclaimed, "Indeed, Henry, your
actions merit this punishment."

Henry answered with firmness, "Inflict what punishment you please."

"With the dean's permission, then," said the curate, "you must marry my
daughter."

Henry started--"Do you pronounce that as a punishment? It would be the
greatest blessing Providence could bestow. But how are we to live? My
uncle is too much offended ever to be my friend again; and in this
country, persons of a certain class are so educated, they cannot exist
without the assistance, or what is called the patronage, of others: when
that is withheld, they steal or starve. Heaven protect Rebecca from such
misfortune! Sir (to the curate), do you but consent to support her only
a year or two longer, and in that time I will learn some occupation, that
shall raise me to the eminence of maintaining both her and myself without
one obligation, or one inconvenience, to a single being."

Rebecca exclaimed, "Oh! you have saved me from such a weight of sin, that
my future life would be too happy passed as your slave."

"No, my dear Rebecca, return to your father's house, return to slavery
but for a few years more, and the rest of your life I will make free."

"And can you forgive me?"

"I can love you; and in that is comprised everything that is kind."

The curate, who, bating a few passions and a few prejudices, was a man of
some worth and feeling, and felt, in the midst of her distress, though
the result of supposed crimes, that he loved this neglected daughter
better than he had before conceived; and he now agreed "to take her home
for a time, provided she were relieved from the child, and the matter so
hushed up, that it might draw no imputation upon the characters of his
other daughters."

The dean did not degrade his consequence by consultations of this nature:
but, having penetrated (as he imagined) into the very bottom of this
intricate story, and issued his mandate against Henry, as a mark that he
took no farther concern in the matter, he proudly walked out of the room
without uttering another word.

William as proudly and silently followed.

The curate was inclined to adopt the manners of such great examples: