"I am acquainted with all the particulars of this proceeding, Mr. Thorn. If it goes abroad, so surely will they."
"She told you, did she?" said Thorn in a sudden flash of fury.
Mr. Carleton was silent, with his air of imperturbable reserve, telling and expressing nothing but a cool independence that put the world at a distance.
"Ha!" said Thorn,--"it is easy to see why our brave Englishman comes here to solicit 'terms' for his honest friend Rossitur--he would not like the scandal of franking letters to Sing Sing. Come, sir," he said snatching up the pistol,--"our business is ended--come, I say! or I won't wait for you."
But the pistol was struck from his baud.
"Not yet," said Mr. Carleton calmly,--"you shall have your turn at these,--mind, I promise you;--but my business must be done first--till then, let them alone!"
"Well what is it?" said Thorn impatiently. "Rossitur will be a convict, I tell you; so you'll have to give up all thoughts of his niece, or pocket her shame along with her. What more have you got to say? that's all your business, I take it."
"You are mistaken, Mr. Thorn," said Mr. Carleton gravely.
"Am I? In what?"
"In every position of your last speech."