"Indeed, madam," replied Sir Francis, "you are wonderfully innocent and ignorant, doubtless; but you will excuse my feeling a difficulty in believing your son has acted in the manner he has acted without your approbation and consent. I, therefore, shall certainly look upon you as an accessory in this business; and as you have enjoyed the satisfaction of teaching your son through life the wise and just lesson of despising his father and refusing him all confidence, it is but right that you should be made aware of the fruits which such lessons produce." Lady Tyrrell rose from her chair with a look which Sir Francis Tyrrell had never seen her assume before. "One word, Sir Francis Tyrrell," she said, "before you proceed farther. You accuse me now, as you have often previously done, of things in regard to which I am perfectly innocent and ignorant. I have never taught your son to disobey you, though your own conduct may have taught him not to respect you, and may have alienated the affection of a son full of strong feelings, as it has alienated the affection of a wife, who might have been taught to love you dearly. More than twenty-two years of my life have been sacrificed to you; my health, my happiness, my comfort, my youth have been blasted and destroyed by the ill-fated connexion which united me to you. For my son's sake I have endured till now, but I will endure no longer; and I now tell you, Sir Francis Tyrrell, that this must be the last altercation between us, as it is high time that we should separate." Sir Francis Tyrrell was certainly struck and surprised, for this determination was not at all what he had expected from a woman whom he fancied to be habitually his slave; but still there was far too much pride in his nature to suffer him to show the slightest disappointment or regret. On the contrary, he determined to punish and imbitter an act that he could not prevent. "Just as you please, madam," he replied; "it is an arrangement I have long desired and coveted myself; but I, too, have been restrained by consideration for my son, and should have proposed such a thing some sixteen or seventeen years ago, had I not apprehended that I might thereby have cast some doubts upon his legitimacy."