affections more than became my age - though that was not
then much advanced - or the solidity of my character. But I need not remind your
lordship of the various modes in which you indulged your gaiety at the expense
of an awkward and retired student, embarrassed by the expression of feelings so
new to him, and I have no doubt that the young lady joined you in the
well-deserved ridicule - it is the way of womankind. I have spoken at once to
the painful circumstances of my addresses and their rejection, that your
lordship may be satisfied everything is full in my memory, and may, so far as I
am concerned, tell your story without scruple or needless delicacy.«
    »I will,« said Lord Glenallan. »But first let me say, you do injustice to
the memory of the gentlest and kindest, as well as to the most unhappy of women,
to suppose she could make a jest of the honest affection of a man like you.
Frequently did she blame me, Mr. Oldbuck, for indulging my levity at your
expense - may I now presume you will excuse the gay freedoms which then offended
you? - my state of mind has never since laid me under the necessity of
apologizing for the inadvertencies of a light and happy temper.«
    »My lord, you are fully pardoned,« said Mr. Oldbuck. »You should be aware,
that, like all others, I was ignorant at the time that I placed myself in
competition with your lordship, and understood that Miss Neville was in a state
of dependence which might make her prefer a competent independence and the hand
of an honest man - But I am wasting time - I would I could believe that the
views entertained towards her by others were as fair and honest as mine!«
    »Mr. Oldbuck, you judge harshly.«
    »Not without cause, my lord. When I only, of all the magistrates of this
county - having neither, like some of them, the honour to be connected with your
powerful family - nor, like others, the meanness to fear it, - when I made some
inquiry into the manner of Miss Neville's death - I shake you, my lord, but I
must be plain - I do own I had every reason to believe that she had met most
unfair dealing, and had either been imposed upon by a counterfeit marriage, or
that very strong measures had been adopted to stifle and destroy the evidence of
a real union. And I cannot doubt in my own mind, that this cruelty on your
lordship's part,