“It is more than Maria is capable of. She will pawn the coat off your back to play. The rage for it runs in all my brother's family—in me too, I own it. I warned you. I prayed you not to play with them, and now a lad of twenty to engage himself to a woman of forty-two!—to write letters on his knees and signed with his heart's blood (which he spells like hartshorn), and say that he will marry no other woman than his adorable cousin, Lady Maria Esmond. Oh! it's cruel—cruel!”
“Great heavens! madam, who showed you my letter?” asked Harry, burning with a blush again.
“An accident. She fainted when she was taken by those bailiffs. Brett cut her laces for her; and when she was carried off, poor thing, we found a little sachet on the floor, which I opened, not knowing in the least what it contained. And in it was Mr. Harry Warrington's precious letter. And here, sir, is the case.”
A pang shot through Harry's heart. “Great heavens! why didn't she destroy it?” he thought.
“I—I will give it back to Maria,” he said, stretching out his hand for the little locket.
“My dear, I have burned the foolish letter,” said the old lady.
“If you choose to betray me I must take the consequence. If you choose to write another, I cannot help thee. But, in that case, Harry Esmond, I had rather never see thee again. Will you keep my secret? Will you believe an old woman who loves you and knows the world better than you do? I tell you, if you keep that foolish promise, misery and ruin are surely in store for you. What is a lad like you in the hands of a wily woman of the world, who makes a toy of you? She has entrapped you into a promise, and your old aunt has cut the strings and set you free. Go back again! Betray me if you will, Harry.”
“I am not angry with you, aunt—I wish I were,” said Mr. Warrington, with very great emotion. “I—I shall not repeat what you told me.”
“Maria never will, child—mark my words!” cried the old lady, eagerly. “She will never own that she has lost that paper. She will tell you that she has it.”
“But I am sure she—she is very fond of me; you should have seen her last night,” faltered Harry.