"You dare not!" said Thorn. "You shall not go alive out of this room to do it! Let me have it, sir! you said you would--"
His passion was at a fearful height, for the family pride which had been appealed to felt a touch of fear, and his other thoughts were confirmed again, besides the dim vision of a possible thwarting of all his plans. Desire almost concentrated itself upon revenge against the object that threatened them. He had thrown himself again towards the weapons which lay beyond his reach, but was met and forcibly withheld from them.
"Stand back!" said Mr. Carleton. "I said I would, but I am not ready;--finish this business first."
"What is there to finish?" said Thorn furiously;--"you will never live to do anything out of these doors again--you are mocking yourself."
"My life is not in your hands, sir, and I will settle this matter before I put it in peril. If not with you, with Mr. Thorn your father, to whom it more properly belongs."
"You cannot leave the room to see him," said Thorn sneeringly.
"That is at my pleasure," said the other,--"unless hindered by means I do not think you will use."
Thorn was silent.
"Will you yield anything of justice, once more, in favour of this distressed family?"
"That is, yield the whole, and let the guilty go free."