"My God! Miss Monroe, are you serious?" said the rector, deeply humbled; "or is this merely a portion of the pastime?"
"Does it seem sport to you?" asked Ellen: "if so, I will continue it, and wind it up with the scene which I had abandoned."
"For heaven's sake, do not expose me, Miss Monroe!" murmured Reginald, now writhing in agony at the turn which the matter had taken. "Let me depart—and forget that I ever dared to address you rudely."
"Yes—go," said Ellen: "you are punished sufficiently. You possess the secret of my frailty—I possess the secret of your hypocrisy: beware of the use you make of your knowledge of me, lest I retaliate by exposing you."
There was something very terrible in the lesson which that young woman gave the libidinous priest on this occasion; and he felt it in its full force.
Cowering within himself, he uttered not another word, but stole away, completely subdued—cruelly humiliated.
Ellen lingered for a few moments on the spot where she had so effectually chastised the insolent hypocrite; and then hastily retired.
The Greek Brigand made a movement as if he were about to follow her; but, yielding to a second thought, he stopped, murmuring, "By heavens! she is a noble creature!"
CHAPTER CL.
MRS. KENRICK.
The rector of Saint David's returned home a prey to the most unenviable feelings.