the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第29章
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you say true； I would rather perish than be fooled any farther。〃
〃Can nothingno surety convince you of my sincerity？〃 said Ellieslaw；
anxiously； 〃this morning I should have repelled your unjust suspicions as
an insult； but situated as we now are〃
〃You feel yourself compelled to be sincere？〃 retorted Sir Frederick。
〃If you would have me think so； there is but one way to convince me of it…
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…let your daughter bestow her hand on me this evening。〃
〃So soon？impossible；〃 answered Vere； 〃think of her late alarm of
our present undertaking。〃
〃I will listen to nothing but to her consent； plighted at the altar。 You
have a chapel in the castleDoctor Hobbler is present among the
company…this proof of your good faith to…night； and we are again joined in
heart and hand。 If you refuse me when it is so much for your advantage
to consent； how shall I trust you to…morrow； when I shall stand committed
in your undertaking； and unable to retract？〃
〃And I am to understand； that； if you can be made my son…in…law to…
night； our friendship is renewed？〃 said Ellieslaw。
〃Most infallibly； and most inviolably；〃 replied Sir Frederick。
〃Then；〃 said Vere； 〃though what you ask is premature； indelicate； and
unjust towards my character； yet； Sir Frederick； give me your handmy
daughter shall be your wife。〃
〃This night？〃
〃This very night；〃 replied Ellieslaw； 〃before the clock strikes twelve。〃
〃With her own consent； I trust；〃 said Mareschal； 〃for I promise you
both； gentlemen； I will not stand tamely by； and see any violence put on
the will of my pretty kinswoman。〃
〃Another pest in this hot…headed fellow；〃 muttered Ellieslaw； and then
aloud； 〃With her own consent？ For what do you take me； Mareschal； that
you should suppose your interference necessary to protect my daughter
against her father？ Depend upon it； she has no repugnance to Sir
Frederick Langley。〃
〃Or rather to be called Lady Langley？ faith； like enoughthere are
many women might be of her mind； and I beg your pardon； but these
sudden demands and concessions alarmed me a little on her account。〃
〃It is only the suddenness of the proposal that embarrasses me；〃 said
Ellieslaw； 〃but perhaps if she is found intractable； Sir Frederick will
consider〃
〃I will consider nothing； Mr。 Vereyour daughter's hand to… night； or I
depart； were it at midnightthere is my ultimatum。〃
〃I embrace it；〃 said Ellieslaw； 〃and I will leave you to talk upon our
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military preparations； while I go to prepare my daughter for so sudden a
change of condition。〃
So saying； he left the company。
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CHAPTER XIV。
He brings Earl Osmond to receive my vows。 O dreadful change！
for Tancred； haughty Osmond。 TANCRED AND SIGISMUNDA。
Mr。 Vere； whom long practice of dissimulation had enabled to model
his very gait and footsteps to aid the purposes of deception； walked along
the stone passage； and up the first flight of steps towards Miss Vere's
apartment； with the alert； firm； and steady pace of one who is bound；
indeed； upon important business； but who entertains no doubt he can
terminate his affairs satisfactorily。 But when out of hearing of the
gentlemen whom he had left； his step became so slow and irresolute； as to
correspond with his doubts and his fears。 At length he paused in an
antechamber to collect his ideas； and form his plan of argument； before
approaching his daughter。
〃In what more hopeless and inextricable dilemma was ever an
unfortunate man involved！〃 Such was the tenor of his reflections。〃If
we now fall to pieces by disunion； there can be little doubt that the
government will take my life as the prime agitator of the insurrection。 Or；
grant I could stoop to save myself by a hasty submission； am I not； even in
that case； utterly ruined？ I have broken irreconcilably with Ratcliffe； and
can have nothing to expect from that quarter but insult and persecution。 I
must wander forth an impoverished and dishonoured man； without even
the means of sustaining life； far less wealth sufficient to counterbalance
the infamy which my countrymen； both those whom I desert and those
whom I join； will attach to the name of the political renegade。 It is not to
be thought of。 And yet； what choice remains between this lot and the
ignominious scaffold？ Nothing can save me but reconciliation with these
men； and； to accomplish this； I have promised to Langley that Isabella
shall marry him ere midnight； and to Mareschal； that she shall do so
without compulsion。 I have but one remedy betwixt me and ruinher
consent to take a suitor whom she dislikes； upon such short notice as
would disgust her； even were he a favoured lover But I must trust to the
romantic generosity of her disposition； and let me paint the necessity of
her obedience ever so strongly； I cannot overcharge its reality。〃
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Having finished this sad chain of reflections upon his perilous
condition； he entered his daughter's apartment with every nerve bent up to
the support of the argument which he was about to sustain。 Though a
deceitful and ambitious man； he was not so devoid of natural affection but
that he was shocked at the part he was about to act； in practising on the
feelings of a dutiful and affectionate child； but the recollections； that； if he
succeeded； his daughter would only be trepanned into an advantageous
match； and that； if he failed； he himself was a lost man； were quite
sufficient to drown all scruples。
He found Miss Vere seated by the window of her dressing…room； her
head reclining on her hand； and either sunk in slumber； or so deeply
engaged in meditation； that she did not hear the noise he made at his
entrance。 He approached with his features composed to a deep
expression of sorrow and sympathy； and； sitting down beside her； solicited
her attention by quietly taking her hand； a motion which he did not fail to
accompany with a deep sigh。
〃My father！〃 said Isabella； with a sort of start； which expressed at
least as much fear； as joy or affection。
〃Yes； Isabella；〃 said Vere； 〃your unhappy father； who comes now as a
penitent to crave forgiveness of his daughter for an injury done to her in
the excess of his affection； and then to take leave of her for ever。〃
〃Sir？ Offence to me take leave for ever？ What does all this mean？〃
said Miss Vere。
〃Yes； Isabella； I am serious。 But first let me ask you； have you no
suspicion that I may have been privy to the strange chance which befell
you yesterday morning？〃
〃You； sir？〃 answered Isabella； stammering between a consciousness
that he had guessed her thoughts justly； and the shame as well as fear
which forbade her to acknowledge a suspicion so degrading and so
unnatural。
〃Yes！〃 he continued； 〃your hesitation confesses that you entertained
such an opinion； and I have now the painful task of acknowledging that
your suspicions have done me no injustice。 But listen to my motives。 In
an evil hour I countenanced the addresses of Sir Frederick Langley；
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conceiving it impossible that you could have any permanent objections to
a match where the advantages were； in most respects； on your side。 In a
worse； I entered with him into measures calculated to restore our banished
monarch； and the independence of my country。 He has taken advantage
of my unguarded confidence； and now has my life at his disposal。〃
〃Your life； sir？〃 said Isabella； faintly。
〃Yes； Isabella；〃 continued her father； 〃the life of him who gave life to
you。 So soon as I foresaw the excesses into which his headlong passion
（for； to do him justice； I believe his unreasonable conduct arises from
excess of attachment to you） was likely to hurry him； I endeavoured； by
finding a plausible pretext for your absence for some weeks； to extricate
myself from the dilemma in which I am placed。 For this purpose I
wished； in case your objections to the match continued insurmountable； to
have sent you privately for a few months to the convent of your maternal
aunt at Paris。 By a series of mistakes you have been brought from the
place of secrecy and security which I had destined for your temporary
abode。 Fate has baffled my last chance of escape； and I have only to give
you my blessing； and send you from the castle with Mr。 Ratcliffe； who
now leaves it； my own fate will soon be decided。〃
〃Good Heaven； sir！ can this be possible？〃 exclaimed Isabella。 〃O；
why was I freed from the restraint in which you placed me？ or why did
you not impart your pleasure to me？〃
〃Think an instant； Isabella。 Would you have had me prejudice in
your opinion the friend I was most desirous of serving； by communicating
to you the injurious eagerness with which he pursued his object？ Could I
do so honourably； having promised to assist his suit？But it is all over； I
and Mareschal have made up our minds to die
