Marry this girl, and you will be an outcast; marry as I would have
you, and no one will think the worse of you for a foolish vow in
your boyhood. Bah! the merest rumour of it will never rise into the
serene air of your position."
"And let the girl go and break her heart!" said Forgue, with look
black as death.
"You need fear no such catastrophe! You are no such marvel among men
that a kitchen-wench will break her heart for you. She will be sorry
for herself, no doubt; but it will be nothing more than she
expected, and will only confirm her opinion of you: she knows well
enough the risk she runs!"
While he spoke, Donal, waiting his turn, stood as on hot iron. Such
sayings were in his ears the foul talk of hell. The moment the earl
ceased, he turned to Forgue, and said:--
"My lord, you have removed my harder thoughts of you! You have
indeed broken your word, but in a way infinitely nobler than I
believed you capable of!"
Lord Morven stared dumbfounded.
"Your comments are out of place, Mr. Grant!" said Forgue, with
something like dignity. "The matter is between my father and myself.
If you wanted to beg my pardon, you should have waited a fitting
opportunity!"
Donal held his peace. He had felt bound to show sympathy with his
enemy where he was right.
The earl was perplexed: his one poor ally had gone over to the
enemy! He took a glass from the table beside him, and drank: then,
after a moment's silence, apparently of exhaustion and suffering,
said,
"Mr.
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