`Noonecanblameyouforsuchanavowal，’repliedhegravely；
`noteventhegentlementhemselves，Iimagine。I’lljusttellyou，’hecontinued，asifactuatedbyasuddenresolution，`whatwassaidlastnightinthedining-room，afteryouleftus——perhapsyouwillnotminditasyou’resoveryphilosophicaloncertainpoints，’headdedwithaslightsneer。`TheyweretalkingaboutLordLowboroughandhisdelectablelady，thecauseofwhosesuddendepartureisnosecretamongstthem；andhercharacterissowellknowntothemall，that，nearlyrelatedtomeassheis，Icouldnotattempttodefendit——Godcurseme，’hemuttered，parparenthè；se，`ifIdon’thavevengeanceforthis！Ifthevillainmustdisgracethefamily，mustheblazonitabroadtoeverylow-bredknaveofhisacquaintance？——Ibegyourpardon，Mrs。Huntingdon。
Well，theyweretalkingofthesethings，andsomeofthemremarkedthat，asshewasseparatedfromherhusband，hemightseeheragainwhenhepleased。’
`“Thankyou。”saidhe；“I’vehadenoughofherforthepresent：
I’llnottroubletoseeher，unlessshecomestome。”
`“Thenwhatdoyoumeantodo，Huntingdon，whenwe’regone？”saidRalphHattersley。“Doyoumeantoturnfromtheerrorofyourways，andbeagoodhusband，agoodfather，andsoforth——asIdo，whenIgetshutofyouandalltheserollickingdevilsyoucallyourfriends？Ithinkit’stime；andyourwifeisfiftytimestoogoodforyou，youknow——“
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`Andheaddedsomepraiseofyou，whichyouwouldnotthankmeforrepeating——orhimforuttering；proclaimingitaloud，ashedid，withoutdelicacyordiscrimination，inanaudiencewhereitseemedprofanationtoutteryourname——himselfutterlyincapableofunderstandingorappreciatingyourrealexcellencies。Huntingdonmeanwhile，satquietlydrinkinghiswine，orlookingsmilinglyintohisglassandofferingnointerruptionorreply，tillHattersleyshoutedout，——
`“Doyouhearme，man？”
`“Yes，goon。”saidhe。
`“Nay，I’vedone。”repliedtheother：“Ionlywanttoknowifyouintendtotakemyadvice。”
`“Whatadvice？”
`“Toturnoveranewleaf，youdouble-dyedscoundrel。”shoutedRalph，“andbegyourwife’spardon，andbeagoodboyforthefuture。”
`“Mywife！whatwife？Ihavenowife。”repliedHuntingdon，lookinginnocentlyupfromhisglass——“orifIhave，lookyougentlemen，Ivaluehersohighlythatanyoneamongyou，thatcanfancyher，mayhaveherandwelcome——youmay，byJoveandmyblessingintothebargain！”
`I——hem——someoneaskedifhereallymeantwhathesaid，uponwhich，hesolemnlysworehedid，andnomistake——Whatdoyouthinkofthat，Mrs。Huntingdon？’askedMr。Hargrave，afterashortpause，duringwhichIhadfelthewaskeenlyexaminingmyhalf-avertedface。
`Isay，’repliedI，calmly，`thatwhatheprizessolightly，willnotbelonginhispossession。’
`Youcannotmeanthatyouwillbreakyourheartanddieforthedetestableconductofaninfamousvillainlikethat！’
`Bynomeans：myheartistoothoroughlydriedtobebrokeninahurry，andImeantoliveaslongasIcan。’
`Willyouleavehimthen？’
`Yes。’
`When——andhow？’askedhe，eagerly。
`WhenIamready，andhowIcanmanageitmosteffectually。’
`Butyourchild？’
`Mychildgoeswithme。’
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`Hewillnotallowit。’
`Ishallnotaskhim。’
`Ah，then，itisasecretflightyoumeditate！——butwithwhom，Mrs。Huntingdon？’
`Withmyson——and，possibly，hisnurse。’
`Alone——andunprotected！Butwherecanyougo？Whatcanyoudo？
Hewillfollowyouandbringyouback。’
`Ihavelaidmyplanstoowellforthat。LetmeoncegetclearofGrassdale，andIshallconsidermyselfsafe。’
Mr。Hargraveadvancedonesteptowardsme，lookedmeintheface，anddrewinhisbreathtospeak；butthatlook，thatheightenedcolour，thatsuddensparkleoftheeyemademybloodriseinwrath：Iabruptlyturnedaway，and，snatchingupmybrush，begantodashawayatmycanvasswithrathertoomuchenergyforthegoodofthepicture。
`Mrs。Huntingdon，’saidhewithbittersolemnity，`youarecruel——crueltome——crueltoyourself。’
`Mr。Hargrave，rememberyourpromise。’
`Imustspeak——myheartwillburstifIdon’t！Ihavebeensilentlongenough——andyoumusthearme！’criedheboldlyinterceptingmyretreattothedoor。`Youtellmeyouowenoallegiancetoyourhusband；
heopenlydeclareshimselfwearyofyou，andcalmlygivesyouuptoanybodythatwilltakeyou；youareabouttoleavehim；noonewillbelievethatyougoalone——alltheworldwillsay，“Shehaslefthimatlast，andwhocanwonderatit？Fewcanblameher，fewerstillcanpityhim；butwhoisthecompanionofherflight？”Thusyouwillhavenocreditforyourvirtueifyoucallitsuch：evenyourbestfriendswillnotbelieveinit；because，itismonstrous，andnottobecredited——butbythosewhosufferfromtheeffectsofit，suchcrueltormentsthattheyknowittobeindeedreality——Butwhatcanyoudointhecold，roughworldalone？
you，ayoungandinexperiencedwoman，delicatelynurtured，andutterly——’
`Inaword，youwouldadvisemetostaywhereIam，’interruptedI。`Well，I’llseeaboutit。’
`Byallmeans，leavehim！’criedheearnestly，`butNOT
alone！Helen！letmeprotectyou！’
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`Never！——whileHeavensparesmyreason，’repliedI，snatchingawaythehandhehadpresumedtoseizeandpressbetweenhisown。Buthewasinforitnow；hehadfairlybrokenthebarrier：hewascompletelyroused，anddeterminedtohazardallforvictory。
`Imustnotbedenied！’exclaimedhevehemently；andseizingbothmyhands，heheldthemverytight，butdroppeduponhisknee，andlookedupinmyfacewithahalf-imploring，half-imperiousgaze。`Youhavenoreasonnow：youareflyinginthefaceofHeaven’sdecrees。GodhasdesignedmetobeyourcomfortandProtector——Ifeelit——IknowitascertainlyasifavoicefromHeavendeclared“Yetwainshallbeoneflesh“——andyouspurnmefromyou——
`Letmego，Mr。Hargrave！’saidIsternly。Butheonlytightenedhisgrasp。
`Letmego！’Irepeated，quiveringwithindignation。
Hisfacewasalmostoppositethewindowasheknelt。Withaslightstart，Isawhimglancetowardsit；andthenagleamofmalicioustriumphlituphiscountenance。Lookingovermyshoulder，Ibeheldashadowjustretiringroundthecorner。
`ThatisGrimsby，’saidhedeliberately。`HewillreportwhathehasseentoHuntingdonandalltherest，withsuchembellishmentsashethinksproper。Hehasnoloveforyou，Mrs。Huntingdon——noreverenceforyoursex——nobeliefinvirtue——noadmirationforitsimage。Hewillgivesuchaversionofthisstoryaswillleavenodoubtatall，aboutyourcharacter，inthemindsofthosewhohearit。Yourfairfameisgone；
andnothingthatIoryoucansaycaneverretrieveit。Butgivemethepowertoprotectyou，andshowmethevillainthatdarestoinsult！’
`Noonehaseverdaredtoinsultmeasyouaredoingnow！’saidI，atlengthreleasingmyhands，andrecoilingfromhim。
`Idonotinsultyou，’criedhe：`Iworshipyou。Youaremyangel——mydivinity！Ilaymypowersatyourfeet——andyoumustandshallacceptthem！’
heexclaimedimpetuously，startingtohisfeet——Imillbeyourconsoleranddefender！andifyourconscienceupbraidyouforit，sayIovercameyouandyoucouldnotchoosebutyield！’
Ineversawamansoterriblyexcited。Heprecipitatedhimselftowardsme。Isnatchedupmypalette-knifeandheldit343againsthim。
Thisstartledhim：hestoodandgazedatmeinastonishment；IdaresayIlookedasfierceandresoluteashe。Imovedtothebellandputmyhanduponthecord。Thistamedhimstillmore。Withahalf-authoritative，half-deprecatingwaveofthehand，hesoughttodetermefromringing。
`Standoff，then！’saidI。Hesteppedback——`Andlistentome——I
don’tlikeyou，’Icontinued，asdeliberatelyandemphaticallyasIcould，togivethegreaterefficacytomywords；`andifIweredivorcedfrommyhusband——orifheweredead，Iwouldnotmarryyou。Therenow！Ihopeyou’resatisfied。’
Hisfacegrewblanchedwithanger。
`Iamsatisfied，’herepliedwithbitteremphasis，`thatyouarethemostcold-hearted，unnatural，ungratefulwomanIeveryetbeheld！’
`Ungratefulsir？’
`Ungrateful。’
`No，Mr。Hargrave；Iamnot。Forallthegoodyoueverdidme，oreverwishedtodo，Imostsincerelythankyou：foralltheevilyouhavedoneme，andallyouwouldhavedone，IprayGodtopardonyou，andmakeyouofabettermind。’
Herethedoorwasthrownopen，andMessrs。HuntingdonandHattersleyappearedwithout。Thelatterremainedinthehall，busywithhisram-rodandhisgun；theformerwalkedin，andstoodwithhisbacktothefire，surveyingMr。Hargraveandme，particularlytheformer，withasmileofinsupportablemeaning，accompaniedasitwas，bytheimpudenceofhisbrazenbrowandthesly，malicioustwinkleofhiseye。
`Well，sir？’saidHargraveinterrogatively，andwiththeairofonepreparedtostandonthedefensive。
`Well，sir，’returnedhishost。
`Wewanttoknowifyou’reatlibertytojoinusinagoatthepheasants，Walter，’interposedHattersleyfromwithout。`Come！thereshallbenothingshotbesides，exceptapuss’ortwo；I’llvouchforthat。’
Walterdidnotanswer，butwalkedtothewindowtocollecthisfaculties，Arthurutteredalowwhistle，andfollowedhimwithhiseyes。
AslightflushofangerrosetoHargrave’scheek；butinamoment，heturnedcalmlyround，andsaidcarelessly——344
`IcameheretobidfarewelltoMrs。Huntingdon，andtellherImustgoto-morrow。
`Humph！You’remightysuddeninyourresolution。Whattakesyouoffsosoon，mayIask？’
`Business，’returnedhe，repellingtheother’sincreduloussneerwithaglanceofscornfuldefiance。
`Verygood，’wasthereply；andHargravewalkedaway。Thereupon，Mr。Huntingdon，gatheringhiscoatlapsunderhisarms，andsettinghisshoulderagainstthemantle-piece，turnedtome，and，addressingmeinalowvoice，scarcelyabovehisbreath，pouredforthavolleyofthevilestandgrossestabuseitwaspossiblefortheimaginationtoconceiveorthetonguetoutter。Ididnotattempttointerrupthim；butmyspiritkindledwithinme，andwhenhehaddone，Ireplied——
`Ifyouraccusationweretrue，Mr。Huntingdon，howdareyoublameme？’
`She’shitit，byJove！’criedHattersley，rearinghisgunagainstthewall；and，steppingintotheroom，hetookhispreciousfriendbythearm，andattemptedtodraghimaway。`Come，mylad，’hemuttered；`trueorfalse，you’venorighttoblameher，youknow——norhimeither；afterwhatyousaidlastnight。Socomealong。’
TherewassomethingimpliedherethatIcouldnotendure。
`Dareyoususpectme，Mr。Hattersley？’saidI，almostbesidemyselfwithfury。
`Nay，nay，Isuspectnobody。It’sallright——it’sallright。SocomealongHuntingdon，youblackguard。’
`Shecan’tdenyit！’criedthegentlemanthusaddressed，grinninginmingledrageandtriumph。`Shecan’tdenyitifherlifedependedonit！’andmutteringsomemoreabusivelanguage，hewalkedintothehall，andtookuphishatandgunfromthetable。
`Iscorntojustifymyselftoyou！’saidI。`Butyou，’turningtoHattersley，`ifyoupresumetohaveanydoubtsonthesubject，askMr。
Hargrave。’
Atthis，theysimultaneouslyburstintoarudelaughthatmademywholeframetingletothefinger’sends。
`Whereishe？I’llaskhimmyself！’saidI，advancingtowardsthem。