"Pray, sir," he said at last, "what do you call your unjustifiable pursuit of my niece, Miss Dalzell?"
"That is a recent crime in your eyes. I was alluding to a prejudice against _poor_ Miles Tremenhere, who, as master of the manor-house, was permitted to style himself your acquaintance at least; but it is not of wrongs--of _past_ wrongs--I come to speak. I come, Mr. Formby, to you, as Miss Dalzell's uncle and guardian, seeking an answer to my solicited permission to address her as a suitor."
"Your audacity surpasses all I ever heard of," cried Juvenal, bounding from his chair, into which he had dropped. "It more than surpasses all I have been told you were capable of."
"By my worthy cousin, but you are wrong. I come in no insolence of tone or manner, however your dislike may so construe them; but as gentleman to gentleman--suitor, _accepted_ suitor by the lady, to solicit her hand from her guardian." He stood calm and dignified as he spoke; he had evidently set himself a task in this visit--one to go through, before more decided steps, but with little hope of success.
"My answer," said Juvenal, decidedly, though his tone was querulous and weak, "is--that nothing shall ever induce me to consent to Miss Dalzell's marriage with yourself!"
"I do not consider myself obliged to give any; one, however, I will accord you--the lady is engaged."
"Of that I am fully aware--irrevocably engaged."
"If you mean to yourself," cried Juvenal, his anger mastering his fear, "I tell you, I defy you--I forbid it. She shall never marry a nameless, unprincipled man like yourself--one who could attack my friend, Marmaduke Burton, in the ruffianly manner you have done."
"Hush!" said the other, advancing with a soft, calm step; "not a breath even against the dead. You term me a nameless man; that will be proved incorrect some day soon, I hope."
Juvenal shrunk back alarmed. "Keep back!" he cried, "or I will summon aid."
"Do not alarm yourself, Mr. Formby," said Tremenhere, retreating contemptuously. "I would not touch, still less harm, any one dear to, or allied to Miss Dalzell--rest well assured of that; for all I have done to Marmaduke Burton, I would do it again in my just indignation. Did he tell you all? Did he tell you of our first meeting in his apartment, when I chastised the cowardly cur for his base seduction of one almost a sister to me?"