"I never have told you aught but the truth." "I gain, from your unwillingness to tell me, he had a child; was the marriage an acknowledged one?" "The marriage was sure enough; there is the certificate with the papers I gave you; but as to whether they had children or not, you may even think what you will." Lord Wentworth, seeing he should gain nothing on this subject by further inquiry, dropped it, inwardly wondering at the old man's contumacy. "I have said my say," said Bill Stacy, "and now I have only to get your oath you will never by word or deed directly or indirectly betray our retreat or ourselves, and you may go." "Old man," said the Earl, "I give my promise I will by no means directly or indirectly betray either you, your comrades, or your den; but I do not pledge myself to make no inquiries about Edward L'Estrange." "You are quite free to do that, but I'll warrant you will scarce find him. He is a sly fox is Edward L'Estrange, and won't put his head into the snare if he knows it." "Then I am free to go, and you will at least allow me to return with my child,--the unhappy child of her I so ill treated,--and let her be brought up away from scenes and men ill suited to her age and sex." "You must promise more in that case. The girl shall pilot you back to the place she brought you from; but she must then and there leave you. You must swear that also." "What! Am I not to have my way with my own child? You trespass on the rights of nature, and because I am now in the power of evil men, exert an undue and mean advantage over me." "I am not here to argue whether it is right or not right. You are the prisoner here, and must abide by my terms if you wish your freedom. In Scotland they say, 'He is a proud beggar who names his alms,' and he is a proud prisoner who makes his own terms, I may add." "On my soul this is enough to drive a man mad. Here I am, curbed and fettered on all sides--" "My Lord, you have too long been accustomed to rule, and to see everybody obey you. It is good to be under the yoke sometimes. Will you swear to abide by your promise neither to betray our resort, nor by any means win Leonora to follow you? Indeed the girl knows better than to do so, and if you tried to carry her off, neither your name, rank, nor riches should save you; so I warn you not to try. Do you swear?" "I give my word I will not." "Nay, but you must swear." "Old man, were I capable of breaking my word, I were capable of breaking my oath too!" "It matters not; you cannot leave without swearing." "Listen; a peer of England, even in Court, swears only by his honour. You little know the worth of a peer's word; his pledged, inviolate word is the most solemn promise he can give. I give that, and my oath were not a surer pledge."