"I treat it as fuch, for honour is as inherent in my perfon as it is hereditary in your lordfhip's: I do not therefore take your lordship's words as conveying any doubt of my preserving that part at least of my natural character, which misfortune cannot rob me of, and which, permit me to add, does not fuffer me to put up with a determin'd infult from any man."

"Upon my word, Sir!" replied Lord Crowbery, fomewhat relaxing from the statelinefs of his manner, and the acrimony of his tone, "you talk a high language confidering what you are; and I believe it was fomewhat in this file that you deported yourself with Mr. Blachford."-" Pardon me, my lord, it was in a very different manner I found myself compelled to addrefs Mr. Blachford: he had defamed the character of a young woman, whom he took the bafeft means to feduce, and as he had falfely charg'd me with the very crime he himself had attempted to commit, I fimply told him, that his attack on Sufan May was infamous, and his report of me an impudent and abominable lie. That gentleman, I dare fay, very diftinctly heard the words; if not, I am very ready to repeat them."

"Not in my hearing; I defire no fuch familiarity;

miliarity; nor do I wish to be made a party in Mr. Blachford's quarrels."

"Your lordship will be pleased to recollect that you stated my behaviour to that gentleman as matter of charge in my own vindication therefore I was led to tell you of what fört his behaviour was to me; and in accounting for my words found it neceffary to explain the causes that provok'd them. I truft your lordship thinks I have not failed in my respect to you by anfwering in my own defence."

"You have no right over my thoughts; them I fhall keep to myfelf: there are deeper thoughts in my mind than I fhall fee fit at present to produce."

"Then, my lord, I aim to prefume you never will produce them, against me at least; for I am here prefent on your own summons, ftanding before you like a culprit at the bar, to hear and to answer every thing you can urge against me; I therefore humbly beg leave to know from yourself whether I am clear of all you have to charge me with."-" I have nothing more to fay to you, Sir," replied my my Lord; " you may retire when you please.” "I understand you, my lord," cried Henry;

I will take care fo to guard it that no man fhall traduce it with impunity."

CHAPTER XI.

A Blow well placed in the Dark, or, in other Words, according to the Greek Proverb, Blackford fhears a Lion.

AS Henry paffed through the hall, after his conference related in the foregoing chapter, he was met by Lady Crowbery, who haftily put a paquet into his hand, conjuring him to take care of it, and keep fecret the contents." In that paper," fhe faid, "you will fee the mystery of your birth reveal'd: Betake yourself to my uncle Manstock without delay, and Heaven in its mercy protect and guard you!"

Henry, almost overpowered with joyful furprize, at hearing what that paper was to dif close, took it with all the rapture and devotion, which its interefting contents excited, and carefully fecured it in his pocket. He had yet fufficient recollection left to feize the oppornity for returning the ring to Lady Crowbery wrapped up in paper and tied; at the fame

time

time he briefly recited what had been faid to him by the man who found it: Lady Crowbery feemed a good deal furprized, and denied having miffed any one of her rings, however as the time was preffing, and the danger of being difcovered inftant, fhe took it from him, and again bidding him tenderly farewell, haftened away.

There were two roads to the village; the shortest by a foot-path through the plantation, which was close and now dark, the other was the common coach-road through the park, open and fecure from ambufcade. As Henry came out from the hall-door, he found old Weevil the miller waiting in the court-yard: he had been to the house with flour, and had been chatting as ufual with the fervants; he understood from them, that Henry was under examination with my lord, and having noticed. O'Rourke prowling about the plantations with his bludgeon in his hand, entertained fome fufpicions of a plot upon Henry, and was determined to accompany him home, and perfuaded him to take the open road through the park.

This was a tafk of fome difficulty on the part of the friendly miller, for Henry's eager

VOL. II.

F

nefs

nefs to open the important pacquet made him very adverfe to any propofal that prolonged the time; the point, however, was carried, and he, accompanied by Weevil, arrived fafe at the widow's, whilft Larry O'Rourke laid clofe in his ambufh at the bottom of the grove, where was a little foot-bridge that led over a narrow ftream, thickly fhaded with alders.

When a much longer period of time had elapfed than would have ferved to carry Henry through the grove, Blachford, who calculated minutes, with fome anxiety, fet out from the Viscounts upon the fcout, and took his way fecretly and folitarily down the plantationwalk as he approached the fpot where the attack was to be made, he ftopt and listened; all was filence: he took counfel with his own thoughts, and concluding the bufinefs was done, advanced, nothing doubting, till he hađ one foot upon the bridge, when, as if fortune had in that inftant recovered her eye-fight and bestowed the bludgeon with ftrict retafiation upon its proper owner, Larry O'Rourke, fuppofing he had now made fure of his victim, took aim with fuch fuccefs, and dealt his blow with fo hearty a good-will upon the pericranium

of