Charles took Mrs. Effingham's hand and pressed his lips upon it. "You give me," he said, "a new, a strong, an overpowering motive for gaining self-command, and depend upon it, Mrs. Effingham, I will struggle vigorously; but even now you must not suppose that I do not put a great restraint upon myself." "I know you do," replied Mrs. Effingham; "I have seen it in a thousand instances, and therefore it is that I place so much confidence in you, Charles. You see the evil of a violent and passionate disposition, and strive against it. Your father neither sees nor knows it. I am not sure that he is not proud of being ill-tempered; for many men, I believe, think that energy of mind must be combined with violence of passion. But still I cannot help thinking, Charles, that you gave way more than necessary to-day, in acting towards this young man, this Arthur Hargrave, as I gather that you have done. To protect Lucy was right and just, even if you had not been her lover; but you might have done so, it seems to me, without knocking him down, risking, thereby, evil consequences to yourself, which, I hope, are not likely to take place." Charles smiled. "Perhaps, if I had not taken him for the favoured lover," he said, "I might have treated him more gently. But there is no reason to be apprehensive of any farther consequences; all that can be said is, that I found a strange man, dressed as a sailor, in my father's park, and insulting my father's ward, and that I knocked him down accordingly; so there is nothing likely to ensue." "I think not, either," replied Mrs. Effingham; "for it is an impression upon my mind, that a man who insults or persecutes a woman, will sooner or later prove himself a coward in his dealings with man; so now, good-by!" CHAPTER X. Charles Tyrrell made the best of his way back towards the park by a different line from that which he had taken in coming; for the path which he had followed, though the nearest of the manifold paths, and much nearer than the high road itself, was about twice the length which it might have been rendered if the makers thereof had chosen to take a straight line. He accordingly cut across the grounds of the manor-house towards the paling which separated them from the park, vaulted over the fence, and, taking his way through the midst of the trees and even the underwood, gained a compensating five or ten minutes for the half hour more than needful which had been given to Lucy and Mrs. Effingham.