"Yes—Esther—on your knees implore my forgiveness for your oft-repeated disobedience!" exclaimed Mr. de Medina. "Consider, undutiful—ungrateful girl—of the position—the scandalous, disgraceful position in which you were placed a few days ago. That ring which was sold to the diamond-merchant——"
"Pardon me, dearest father—oh! pardon me!" cried the young lady, her voice becoming wildly hysterical.
Again a vehicle rolled along the street; and of the Jew's reply all that the Earl could distinguish were the words——"those diamonds, Esther—the theft of those diamonds! Oh! my God—I shall yet go mad with the dreadful thought!"
"Oh! this is cruel—most cruel, after all I have suffered!" cried Esther. "Wherefore revive those terrible reproaches now? Say—speak, father—what do you require of me? wherefore this conversation?"
"Again I must remind you," answered Mr. de Medina solemnly, "that this is the third anniversary of that day——"
"I know it—I know it? Oh! how can I ever forget it?" said Esther in a tone of the most painful emotion.
"And now," continued Mr. de Medina, apparently but little moved by his daughter's grief,—"now must you swear, Esther—upon that book which contains the principles of our creed—that you will never, under any circumstances——"
Mr. de Medina here sank his voice to so low a tone, that the Earl could only catch a few disjointed phrases, such as these—"renew your connexion with——acknowledge that——such infamy and disgrace——honoured name——family——seduced my daughter——robbed her of her purity——although the world may not suspect——degradation on yourself——discard you for ever——Thomas Rainford——"
"I swear!" said Esther, in a tone which led the Earl to imagine that she took the proscribed oath with a dreadful shudder.
"And now rise," exclaimed Mr. de Medina. "It is over."