"'I have just come from his room; you know how obstinate he is,--how entirely devoted to his lordship,--how blindly honest and faithful he has ever been,--how singularly averse to receiving presents from any source whatever, fearing it might have the appearance of bribery. I went to his room, and offered him a hundred guineas if he would solemnly swear never to reveal what he had seen. In a tone of cold indifference he said, 'I must do my duty to his lordship, to whom I am bound by the strongest ties of gratitude, even at the sacrifice of your ladyship's honor.' I entreated him, almost on my knees, to give the required promise; I offered to double, nay, treble the sum that I had named, but no; he turned from me, almost with disdain, (the low-born menial!) and requested me to retire, as I must be aware of the impropriety of such a visit, at such an hour. Perceiving the uselessness of attempting to bribe him to secrecy, I left him, cursing him for his obstinacy, and came direct to you. Heavens!' added her ladyship, drawing her robe over her partially denuded bosom, 'how desperate the fear of exposure has made me, that in this indecent attire I go at midnight to the chambers of male servants!--Simpson, can you help me in this dreadful emergency? You have heretofore proved faithful to me,--do not desert me now. _Lagrange must be silenced!_--do you understand me? At any cost,--at any risk,--his babbling tongue must be hushed, _by you_, for you are the only person whom I can trust in the affair. Yes, he must never speak the word that will proclaim my dishonor to the world!' "'_At any cost_, your ladyship?' rejoined I, fixing my eyes steadily upon hers, for her despair rendered me bold, and I was not one to suffer an opportunity to slip by unimproved. "'I understand you, fellow!' she replied, with a hysterical laugh and a glance of scorn,--'and much as I despise you, I answer yes! at any cost. But, gracious Heavens, what do I say? _you_, a menial, a base-born servitor! But no matter; even _that_ is far preferable to exposure. Good God! to think of being cast off by his lordship with loathing and contempt, despised and hated by my relatives,--an eternal blot upon my name,--forever excluded from the sphere of society of which I am the star and centre,--no, that shall never, never be. Silence Lagrange--silence him forever,--then ask of me any favor, and it shall not be denied.'