No sooner had the old man
entered than the young lady--who now showed herself to be quite as
young as described, and remarkably prepossessing as to features--
perceptibly turned pale. When the nephew entered, she turned still
paler, as if she were going to faint. The young man described as an
opera-singer rose with grim civility, and placed chairs for his
visitors.
'Caught you, thank God!' said the old gentleman breathlessly.
'Yes, worse luck, my lord!' murmured Signor Smithozzi, in native
London-English, that distinguished alien having, in fact, first seen
the light in the vicinity of the City Road. 'She would have been
mine to-morrow. And I think that under the peculiar circumstances
it would be wiser--considering how soon the breath of scandal will
tarnish a lady's fame--to let her be mine to-morrow, just the same.'
'Never!' said the old man. 'Here is a lady under age, without
experience--child-like in her maiden innocence and virtue--whom you
have plied by your vile arts, till this morning at dawn--'
'Lord Quantock, were I not bound to respect your gray hairs--'
'Till this morning at dawn you tempted her away from her father's
roof. What blame can attach to her conduct that will not, on a full
explanation of the matter, be readily passed over in her and thrown
entirely on you? Laura, you return at once with me. I should not
have arrived, after all, early enough to deliver you, if it had not
been for the disinterestedness of your cousin, Captain Northbrook,
who, on my discovering your flight this morning, offered with a
promptitude for which I can never sufficiently thank him, to
accompany me on my journey, as the only male relative I have near
me.
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