“And those papers--have you them in your possession?” asked Mrs. Fitzhardinge. “I have--carefully concealed in a private compartment of my writing-desk, in my own chamber at Lord Ellingham’s mansion.” “But has your lordship no hesitation in proclaiming your rights and titles--or rather in acquiring them by forcing your father to proclaim his own?” demanded the old woman, again fixing her eyes steadfastly upon his countenance. “Ah! _there_, madam, you touch the wound in my heart!” exclaimed Charles, the sudden workings of his countenance displaying the anguish which the thought excited within him. “I am loth to take the grand--the important--the irrevocable step on the one hand; and I cannot bear to surrender up all my privileges on the other. Moreover, my parents have not acted towards me in a way to render necessary every sacrifice on my part;--and even this morning--this very morning--my father added a new injury to the list of those already committed against me--a new wrong, by upbraiding me, under particular circumstances, with harshness--even brutality.” “Certainly your lordship cannot permit a false sense of filial duty to mar all the golden prospects which open before you!” exclaimed the vile woman, who was thus encouraging evil thoughts in the young man’s mind. “Consider your youth--your handsome appearance--your great talents--the brilliant hopes which develop themselves in the horizon of the future----” “Oh! I have thought of all this--I have weighed every thing for and against the course which I long to adopt, but which the interests of my parents oppose----” Charles paused--dashed his hand against his heated brow--and, rising, paced the room in an agitated manner. “My lord, this excitement is useless,” said Mrs. Fitzhardinge. “If you will deign to consider me as a friend----” “I do--I do!” he cried, approaching her, and pressing her shrivelled hand with fervent, but oh! with how mistaken gratitude: “have you not proved yourself my friend? Did you not, though a stranger, contemplate the generous act of revealing to me secrets which you considered as necessary to be known to me? And have you not even now given me advice which is consistent with my interests?” “Then, if your lordship will thus regard me as a friend, permit me to suggest that you do not on the one hand abandon your determination to assert your rights, nor on the other adopt any course that has not been well deliberated upon. Consider,” said Mrs. Fitzhardinge, “your lordship will have to steel your heart against a father’s prayers--a mother’s tears: you will have to contend against the entreaties of you uncle, the Earl--and of his handsome Jewish wife,--aye--and the beseechings of their daughter too;--for I understand that your lordship has a beautiful cousin----”