Glenmurray obeyed. He related his commencing author,--the nature of his works,--his acquaintance with Adeline,--its consequences,--her mother's marriage,--Sir Patrick's villany,--Adeline's elopement, her refusal to marry him, and the grounds on which it was founded. 'And now,' cried Glenmurray when his narration was ended, 'hear my firm resolve. Let the consequences to my reputation be what they may, let your insults be what they may, I will not accept your challenge; I will not expose Adeline to the risk of being left without a protector in a foreign land, and probably without one in her own. I fear that, in the natural course of things, I shall not continue with her long; but while I can watch over and contribute to her happiness, no dread of shame, no fear for what others may think of me, no selfish consideration whatever shall induce me to hazard a life which belongs to her, and on which at present her happiness depends. I think, Douglas, you are incapable of treating me with dignity; but even to that I will patiently submit, rather than expose my life; while consoled by my motive, I will triumphantly exclaim--'See, Adeline, what I can endure for thy sake!' Here he paused; and the major, interested and affected, had involuntarily put out his hand to him; but, drawing it back, he said, 'Then I may be sure that you meant no affront to me by suffering my wife and sister to converse with Miss Mowbray?' Glenmurray having put an end to these suspicions entirely, by a candid avowal of his feelings, and of his wish to have escaped directly if possible, the major shook him affectionately by the hand, and told him that though he firmly believed too much learning had made him mad, yet, that he was as much his friend as ever. 'But what vexes me is,' said he, 'that you should have turned the head of that sweet girl. The opinion of the world is every thing to a woman.' 'Aye, it is indeed,' replied Glenmurray; 'and, spite of ridicule, I would marry Adeline directly, as I said before, to guaranty her against reproach,--I wish you would try to persuade her to be mine legally.' 'That I will,' eagerly replied the major; 'I am sure I shall prevail with her. I am sure I shall soon convince her that the opinions she holds are nothing but nonsense.' 'You will find,' replied Glenmurray, blushing, 'that her arguments are unanswerable notwithstanding.' 'What, though taken from the cursed books you mentioned?' 'You forget that I wrote these books.' 'So I did; and I wish she could forget it also: and then they would appear to her, as they must do no doubt to all people of common sense, and that is, abominable stuff.' Glenmurray bit his lips,--but the author did not long absorb the lover, and he urged the major to return with him to his lodgings. 'Aye, that I will,' cried he: 'and what is more, my sister Emma, who writes admirably, shall write her a letter to convince her that she had better be married directly.'