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 father; who, though he sees, is willing to excuse the faults of his offspring: your judgment condemns Elvira, even more than mine."

"No, no,—if I thought her wrong, I should not blame her as you do. Your partiality to Edmund blinds you, and you fancy my poor child has a thousand faults, because she was not sensible to the merit of your son."

"You mistake me quite; my opinion of Elvira would be just the same if Edmund were not in existence: though I acknowledge frankly, that every time I see his fine noble countenance, worn with care—his pale cheeks and sunken eyes—I feel a pang through my inmost soul. It is a strange infatuation that she should repulse my noble boy, and yet elope so readily with a youth she scarcely knew."

"Take care what you say, Sir Ambrose take care what you say,—I will not have my child insulted."

"I do not wish to insult her—I speak but the truth—I do not even think her guilty, though the whole Court rings with her shame."

"Guilt! shame! And this to me? Oh God! Oh God! I have lived too long! To hear my