"
Sir Robert was quitting the room, when Pembroke, starting from his
chair, threw himself in agony on his knees, and catching by the skirt
of his father's coat, implored him for God's sake to recall his
words; to remember that he was affixing everlasting dishonor on his
son! "Remember, dear sir!" cried he, holding his struggling hand,
"that the man to whom you offer money as a compensation for insult is
of a nature too noble to receive it. He will reject it, and spurn me;
and I shall know that I deserve his scorn. For mercy's sake, spare me
the agony of harrowing up the heart of my preserver--of meeting
reproach from his eyes!"
"Leave me!" cried the baronet, breaking from him; "I repeat, unless
you wish to incur my curse, do as I have commanded."
Thus outraged, thus agonised, Pembroke had appeared before the eyes
of his cousin Mary more like a distracted creature than a man
possessed of his senses. Shortly after his abrupt departure, her
apprehension was petrified to a dreadful certainty of some cruel ruin
to her hopes, by an order she received in the handwriting of her
uncle, commanding her not to attempt visiting Lady Tinemouth whilst
the Count Sobieski continued to be her guest, and under peril of his
displeasure never to allow that name to pass her lips.
Hardly knowing whither he went, Pembroke did not arrive at the ruined
aisle which leads to the habitable part of the Abbey until near three
o'clock.
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