“I am aware of it,” said Mr. Hatfield, fixing his eyes upon his son in a penetrating manner. “But you only remained in the house a few minutes;--and, having visited your chamber, you hurried away again. Were you afraid to encounter your parents? Remember, Charles, if you felt that your conduct of the morning had been undutiful and improper--nay, I will even say _cruel_, towards us--yet a single word expressive of contrition would have made us open our arms to receive you.” “You denounce my behaviour as cruel towards you,” exclaimed Charles: “but did you not first provoke _me_, father?--did you not call me harsh names? And if, in return, I complained of what I considered to be the unnatural conduct of my parents toward me----” “Wherefore thus pertinaciously endeavour to penetrate into those secrets which, for good and salutary reasons, your parents keep concealed from you?” demanded Mr. Hatfield: “for I presume that you allude to the fact of our still desiring that you should pass as our nephew.” “You have assured me that I am legitimate--that there is no stigma upon my birth,” cried Charles;--“then wherefore not acknowledge me as your son? You claim from me the duty of a son--and yet you deny me the title! And again I must remind you, father, that to an accident alone am I indebted for the knowledge of my birth!” “I would ask you, Charles,” said Mr. Hatfield, in a serious and impressive tone, “what all this has to do with the proposal of marriage that you made to Lady Frances Ellingham: for it was on _this_ point that our dispute commenced yesterday morning. Am I to suppose that my son, being unwilling to contract an alliance so honourable to him, seeks other grounds whereon to base his design of flying in the face of his parents?--am I to conclude that, being resolved to thwart us in this--our dearest hope, you seize upon another and ignoble pretext to justify your rebellion against us!” “No--ten thousand times _No_!” exclaimed the young man, cruelly hurt by these suspicions. “In first place, I do not love Lady Frances Ellingham otherwise than as a brother may love a sister----” “Because,” interrupted Mr. Hatfield, fixing his eyes sternly upon his son,--“because you have formed some connexion of which you are ashamed----” “Ah!” cried Charles, starting violently. “Has my father acted the spy upon me?”