“Much as it would have delighted me,” he at length observed, “to witness the union of my daughter and your son, Thomas, I cannot for a moment recommend that the young man’s inclinations should be forced. Such an union seemed necessary--almost imperiously necessary under the peculiar circumstances in which we are placed. While you, the elder brother, renounce the title which is your just right--I, the younger one, have long borne it and bear it still;--though, heaven knows that I value it indeed but little----However,” added the Earl, interrupting himself hastily,--“I was about to observe that, situated as we thus are, it appears but natural and proper that your son should receive a positive and acknowledged admission into the family by means of an alliance with my daughter. And she, poor girl--she loves him,” continued the nobleman, his voice faltering; “and he has acted unwisely--to use no harsher term--in declaring an attachment which he does not feel, and making a proposal which he cannot accomplish.” “I am at a loss how to act!” said Mr. Hatfield. “My God!” he cried, in a tone expressive of deep feeling, “am I ever to be the means of giving annoyance and vexation to you, my dear Arthur,--you, who have been so kind and generous a friend to me?” “Not on _this_ account must you distress yourself, Thomas,” returned the Earl, emphatically: “you are not responsible for the wayward humours of your son. But surely this sudden manifestation of a rebellious disposition on his part, cannot arise wholly and solely from the connexion which you believe him to have formed. Have you enquired concerning the character of the women--the mother and daughter--whom he visits in Suffolk-street?” “No: I contented myself with ascertaining that at the house which I saw him enter, there is a young lady of very extraordinary beauty.” “And are you convinced that Charles has learnt nothing relative to the events of former years--nothing calculated to diminish----” “I understand you, Arthur,” said Mr. Hatfield, seeing that his half-brother hesitated: “you would ask whether I have any reason to believe that he has learnt aught which may have a tendency to diminish the respect he had until within these two days past maintained towards his parents? On this head I am of course unable to answer you positively: but my impression is that he is as much as ever in the dark relative to the dread occurrences of the past. Indeed, how can he have possibly learnt a single fact----” “May not the discovery that he is your _son_, and not your nephew, have induced him to seek for farther information?” enquired the Earl of Ellingham. “May not some sentiment of ardent curiosity have been awakened within him----”