 hither to entreat only one quarter of an hour's
  conversation, which you cruelly deny me! You determine then,
  Emmeline, to drive me to despair!

    'You may certainly still refuse to see me; but you cannot oblige
  me to quit this place, or to lose sight of your abode. My father
  will, therefore, gain nothing by his ill-judged journey hither.

    'But if you will allow me the interview I solicit, and after it
  still continue to desire my absence, I will give you my promise to
  go from hence to-morrow.

                                                        F. DELAMERE.'


The maid was sent up with this billet to Emmeline; who, after a moment's
consideration, determined to send it to Miss Delamere, and to tell her,
in an envelope, how she was situated.

Having enclosed it therefore, and desired the maid to go with it without
saying whither she was going, she bid her, as she went through the
house, deliver to Mr. Delamere another note, which was as follows:


  'Sir,

    'Your request of an interview, I think myself obliged on every
  account to refuse. I am extremely sorry you determine to persevere
  in offering me proposals, to which, though they do me a very high
  and undeserved honour, I never ought to listen; and excuse me if I
  add, that I never will.

                                                  EMMELINE MOWBRAY.'


Emmeline had not before so positively expressed her rejection of
Delamere's addresses. The peremptory stile, therefore, of this billet,
added to his extreme vexation at being overtaken by his father, and the
little hope that seemed to remain for him any way, operated altogether
on his rash and passionate disposition, and seemed to affect him with a
temporary phrenzy. He stamped about the room, dashed his head against
the wainscot, and seizing Mrs. Watkins by the arm, swore, with the most
frightful vehemence, that he would see Miss Mowbray though death were in
the way.

The woman concluding he was mad, screamed out to her husband, who
descending from his chamber in astonishment, put himself between his
wife and the stranger, demanding his business?

'Alack-a-day!' cried Mrs. Watkins, 'tis the young Lord. He is gone mad,
to be sure, for the love of Miss up stairs!'

Emmeline, who in so small a house could not avoid hearing all that
passed, now thought it better to go down; for she knew enough of
Delamere to fear that the effects of his fit of passion might be very
serious; and
