456 THE BARONET'S DAUGHTER. 



with a wonderful effort at calmness, " that Mr. Willoughby aroused 

 me at an early hour this morning, requesting an interview with me ; 

 and that he has made me acquainted with every thing." 



" He told you then what occurred last night," said the baronet 

 slightly reddening. 



" He did, Sir Robert," and the priest shuddered. 



" Well, Sir" 



" He did, I say, inform me of what had occurred." 



" Well, Sir" 



" That was your question, was it not?" said the priest timidly. 



" Did he inform you," cried Sir Robert, approaching Courtenay, 

 and as he addressed him, making a pause between each word as it 

 fell from his lips, " did he inform you, Sir, of circumstances that oc- 

 curred, in which he himself was the aggressor, and of which my 

 daughter was the victim ? did he inform you of this, Sir?" 



The priest was silent for some minutes, and was evidently striving 

 to collect himself for the conversation about to ensue. 



"Mr. Willoughby did inform me of every circumstance,-' at length 

 he said with something like calmness, " connected with his supposed 

 conduct to the late Mrs. Willoughby ; and further told me that upon 

 my decision it was to rest whether you were to be made acquainted 

 with every particular." 



" Very good, very good," said the baronet sitting down, " I will 

 hear it now, Courtenay, do not suppose that he has any further cause 

 of fear from my hands, at present. What is it ? 



" Sir Robert Aylmer," said the priest solemnly, " you must never 

 know." 



"How?" cried the baronet incredulously, rising slowly from his 

 seat; "think again, Mr. Courtenay ; you are nervous, or distrust me 

 come, Sir. Never know !" he added, " never know !" do not trifle with 

 me ; this is a serious matter." 



" I have a sacred duty to perform," said the priest ; " to you, Sir 

 Robert, my friend, my only friend, my patron, my protector, to Mr. 

 Willoughby who has left it to my discretion to decide whether I 

 should impart his confession to you, or retain it iriviolately in my own 

 bosom. I choose to do the latter. I believe, I know it to be my 

 duty so to do. You must never know." 



At this moment, Willoughby entered the parlour. The baronet 

 advanced towards him sternly. " You knew your man, Sir, when 

 you made your proposition to me last night, but the conspiracy shall 

 avail you nought it serves you for the present it is well. Now, Sir, 

 have you any thing further to say to me, before you leave my 

 house ? " 



" 1 have only this to say," answered Willoughby coldly ; " I have 

 confessed every thing to Mr. Courtenay ; it is at his option, whether 

 you shall be made acquainted with it or no : and on my soul, I have 

 not attempted to bias him one way or the other. After what passed 

 between us last night, I might, I think, reasonably decline any fur- 

 ther communication between us ; but if you will allow me, I will 

 even now open the very simple business which enforced my visit to 

 you ; if you will not permit me, a letter may serve the purpose as well." 



