“Oh, Alick! Alick love! it was not for myself! it was not for myself I did this! Oh Alick! try to pardon me, dear! and I will pray to die and set you free!”
And as if no one had been present but themselves, she sank at his feet.
“Begone!” cried Alexander, furiously stamping, and turning away.
“Sir! you have disgraced yourself and the name you bear!” sternly exclaimed General Lyon, stooping and raising the poor little fallen figure, and supporting it on his arm.
But Alexander was absolutely beside himself with fury. Forgetting that he stood in the presence of old age and young womanhood, forgetting that he was a man and a gentleman, he strode towards his heart-broken wife, and with livid face, starting eyes and brandishing hand, he exclaimed:
“How dared you do this thing? How dared you bring me to this open shame? How dared you brave me thus? How dared you, I demand?”
She did not speak; but with clasped hands and uplifted eyes, seemed to implore his forbearance.
“You have repaid years of kindness by the blackest ingratitude; you have deceived me by the most infamous treachery; you have sought your object by the basest fraud; you have ventured to take the place of the lady I loved and wished to wed, and so, stolen my hand by the meanest trick! I asked you where you found the effrontery to do all this?” he demanded, grinding his teeth with rage and shaking his hand over her head.
Still she uttered no word in her defence; but still with appealing hands and eyes, mutely besought his mercy.
Dick, who had been champing and stamping, and held in leash only by Anna, during this assault, now utterly broke bounds, and cried out: