'At these words, Delamere stepped forward, and threw himself on his knees by the bed side. He wept aloud; and eagerly kissed his mother's hands, which he bathed in tears. 'She looked at him with an expression to which no description can do justice; but unable to speak, she seemed struggling to explain herself; and the physician, fearful of such agitation, said--"There, madam, is Mr. Delamere; not only alive, but willing, I am persuaded, to give you, in regard to his future conduct, any assurances that you require to tranquillise your mind." '"No!" said she, sighing--"that Delamere is living, I thank heaven!--but for the rest--I have no hopes." '"For the rest," resumed the doctor, "he will promise any thing if you will only make yourself easy." 'At this moment my Lord entered--"You see, Sir," said he sternly to Delamere, whom he had not seen since his arrival in London--"you see to what extremity your madness has reduced your mother." 'Delamere, still on his knees, looked sorrowfully up, as if to enquire what reparation he could make? 'My father, appearing to understand the question, said--"If you would not be indeed a parricide, shew Lady Montreville that you have a sense of your errors, and will give her no farther uneasiness." '"Do, Frederic," cried my sister. '"In what way, Sir?" said my brother, very mournfully. '"Tell her you will consent to fulfil all her wishes." '"Sir," said Delamere firmly, "if to sacrifice my own life would restore my mother's, I would not hesitate; but if what your Lordship means relates to Miss Otley, it is absolutely out of my power." '"He is already married, I doubt not," sighed my mother. '"Upon my soul I am not." '"Come, come," cried Dr. Gardner, "this is going a great deal too far; your Ladyship is but just convinced your son is living, and my Lord here is already talking of other matters. Tell me, madam--what do you wish Mr. Delamere to say?" '"That he will not marry," eagerly interrupted my father, "but with his mother's consent and mine." '"I will not, my Lord," said Delamere, sighing. '"That as soon as Lady Montreville is well enough to allow you to leave her, you will go abroad for a twelvemonth or longer if I shall judge it expedient." '"I will promise _that_, if your Lordship makes a point of it--if my mother insists upon it. But, my Lord, if at the end of that time Emmeline Mowbray is still single----my Lord, you do not expect unconditional submission--I shall then in my turn hope that you and my mother will make no farther opposition to my wishes."