“I cannot belie my conscience by saying so,” replied the knight, who appeared agitated by conflicting emotions.
“Yet you have promised to join us,” cried Garnet, reproachfully.
“Better break that promise than a solemn oath,” rejoined Guy Fawkes, sternly. “Sir William Radcliffe, there are reasons why you should not join this conspiracy. Examine your inmost heart, and it will tell you what they are.”
“I understand you,” replied the knight.
“Get hence,” cried Garnet, unable to control his indignation, “or I will pronounce our Church's most terrible malediction against you.”
“I shall not shrink from it, father,” rejoined Fawkes, humbly, but firmly, “seeing I am acting rightly.”
“Undeceive yourself, then, at once,” returned Garnet, “and learn that you are thwarting our great and holy purpose.”
“On the contrary,” replied Fawkes, “I am promoting it, by preventing one from joining it who will endanger its success.”
“You are a traitor!” cried Garnet, furiously.
“A traitor!” exclaimed Guy Fawkes, his eye blazing with fierce lustre, though his voice and demeanour were unaltered,—"I, who have been warned thrice,—twice by the dead,—and lastly by a vision from heaven, yet still remain firm to my purpose,—I, who have voluntarily embraced the most dangerous and difficult part of the enterprise,—I, who would suffer the utmost extremity of torture, rather than utter a word that should reveal it,—a traitor! No, father, I am none. If you think so, take this sword and at once put an end to your doubts.”