Part 82 (2/2)
The earl caught up the poker and struck at his head. Donal avoided the blow. It fell on the marble chimney-piece. While his arm was yet jarred by the impact, Donal wrenched the poker from him.
”My lord,” he said, ”with my own hands I drew the staple of the chain that fastened her to the bed on which you left her to die! You were yet in the house when I did so.”
”You d.a.m.ned rascal, you stole the key. If it had not been for that I should have gone to her again. I only wanted to bring her to reason!”
”But as you had lost the key, rather than expose your cruelty, you went away, and left her to peris.h.!.+ You wanted her to die unless you could compel her to marry your son, that the t.i.tle and property might go together; and that when with my own ears I heard your lords.h.i.+p tell that son that he had no right to any t.i.tle!”
”What a man may say in a rage goes for nothing,” answered the earl, sulkily rather than fiercely.
”But not what a woman writes in sorrow!” rejoined Donal. ”I know the truth from the testimony of her you called your wife, as well as from your own mouth!”
”The testimony of the dead, and at second hand, will hardly be received in court!” returned the earl.
”If after your lords.h.i.+p's death, the man now called lord Forgue dares a.s.sume the t.i.tle of Morven, I will publish what I know. In view of that, your lords.h.i.+p had better furnish him with the vouchers of his mother's marriage. My lord, I again beg you to leave the house.”
The earl cast his eyes round the walls as if looking for a weapon.
Donal took him by the arm.
”There is no farther room for ceremony,” he said. ”I am sorry to be rough with your lords.h.i.+p, but you compel me. Please remember I am the younger and the stronger man.”
As he spoke he let the earl feel the ploughman's grasp: it was useless to struggle. His lords.h.i.+p threw himself on the couch.
”I will not leave the house. I am come home to die,” he yelled. ”I'm dying now, I tell you. I cannot leave the house! I have no money.
Forgue has taken all.”
”You owe a large sum to the estate!” said Donal.
”It is lost--all lost, I tell you! I have nowhere to go to! I am dying!”
He looked so utterly wretched that Donal's heart smote him. He stood back a little, and gave himself time.
”You would wish then to retire, my lord, I presume?” he said.
”Immediately--to be rid of you!” the earl answered.
”I fear, my lord, if you stay, you will not soon be rid of me! Have you brought Simmons with you?”
”No, d.a.m.n him! he is like all the rest of you: he has left me!”
”I will help you to bed, my lord.”
”Go about your business. I will get myself to bed.”
”I will not leave you except in bed,” rejoined Donal with decision; and ringing the bell, he desired the servant to ask mistress Brookes to come to him.
She came instantly. Before the earl had time even to look at her, Donal asked her to get his lords.h.i.+p's bed ready:--if she would not mind doing it herself, he said, he would help her: he must see his lords.h.i.+p to bed.
She looked a whole book at him, but said nothing. Donal returned her gaze with one of quiet confidence, and she understood it. What it said was, ”I know what I am doing, mistress Brookes. My lady must not turn him out. I will take care of him.”
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