"Gracious God, sir, what do you mean? What do you mean, Mr. Gammon? Go on, sir!" said the earl, turning very pale.
"I would even now, my Lord, shrink from the precipice which I have approached, and leave your Lordship in ignorance of that which—alas, alas!—no earthly power can remedy; but your Lordship's singular discovery of the rent-charge, which we have talked about so long and anxiously, and determination to become fully acquainted with the circumstances out of which it has arisen, leave me no option."
"Sir, I desire that, without so much circumlocution, you will come to the point. I cannot divine what you are talking about—what you meditate telling me; but I beg of you, sir, to communicate to me what you know, and leave me to bear it as best I can."
"Then your Lordship shall be obeyed.—I said, some little time ago, that the instrument granting me the rent-charge upon the Yatton property, recited, as a part of the consideration, my arduous, long-continued, and successful exertions to place Mr. Titmouse in possession of that fine estate. It was I, my Lord, who searched for him till I found him—the rightful heir to the Yatton property—him, the possible successor to your Lordship in your ancient barony. Night and day I have toiled for him—have overcome all obstacles, and at length placed him in the splendid position which he now occupies. He is not, my Lord, naturally of a generous or grateful disposition, as perhaps your Lordship also may be aware; and had I not insisted on an adequate return for my services, he would have given me none. Therefore I required him, nay, I extorted from him the instrument in question." Mr. Gammon paused for a moment.
"Well, sir. Go on! I hear you," said the earl, somewhat sternly; on which Gammon resumed.
"How I first acquired a knowledge that Mr. Aubrey was wrongfully enjoying the Yatton estates, is of no moment to your Lordship; but one thing does concern your Lordship to know, and me to be believed by your Lordship in telling you—that, so help me Heaven! at the time that I discovered Mr. Titmouse behind the counter of Mr. Tag-rag, in Oxford Street, and up till within a couple of months ago, I had no more doubt about his being entitled, as really the heir-at-law"——The earl gave a sudden start. "My Lord, I would even now beg your Lordship to let me take some other opportunity, when we are both calmer, of explaining"——
"Go on, sir," said the earl, firmly, but in a much lower tone of voice than that in which he had before spoken, and sitting with his eyes riveted on those of Mr. Gammon; who, notwithstanding his Lordship's observation, was compelled by his own sickening agitation again to pause for a moment or two. Then he resumed. "I was saying, my Lord, that, till about two months ago, I had no more doubt than I have of your Lordship's now sitting before me, that Mr. Titmouse was the legitimate descendant of the person entitled to enjoy the Yatton estates in preference to Mr. Aubrey. His pedigree was subjected to the severest scrutiny which the law of England can devise, and was pronounced complete"——Gammon beheld Lord Dreddlington quivering all over; "but to my horror—only I know it, except Mr. Titmouse, to whom I told it—I have recently discovered, by a most extraordinary accident, that we were, and are, all mistaken." Lord Dreddlington had grown deadly pale, and his lips, which had lost their color, seemed to open unconsciously, while he inclined towards Gammon; "and—I may as well tell your Lordship at once the worst—this young man, Titmouse, is only a natural son, and what is worst, of a woman who had a former husband living"——
Lord Dreddlington started up from his chair, and staggered away from it, his arms moving to and fro—his face the very picture of horror. It had gone of a ghastly whiteness. His lips moved, but he uttered no sound.
"Oh, my Lord! For God's sake be calm!" cried out Gammon, dreadfully shocked, rushing towards the earl, who kept staggering back, his hands stretched out as if to keep off some approaching object. "My Lord! Lord Dreddlington, hear me. For Heaven's sake, let me bring you back to your seat. It's only a little faintness!"—He put his arm round the earl, endeavoring to draw him back towards the easy-chair; but felt him slipping down on the floor, his legs yielding under him; then his head suddenly sank on one side, and the next moment he lay, as it were, collapsed, upon the floor, partly supported by Gammon, who, in a fearful state of agitation, shouted out for the laundress.
"Untie his neck-handkerchief, sir; loose his shirt-collar!" cried the woman; and stooping down, while Gammon supported his head, she removed the pressure from his neck. He was breathing heavily. "For God's sake, run off for a doctor—any one—the nearest you can find," gasped Gammon. "The carriage standing before the inn is his Lordship's; you'll see his footman—tell him his Lordship's in a fit, and send him off also for a doctor!"