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32 'Under those circumstances, I have a right to say that the marriage must go on.'

'No; no.'

'But I say it must. Sit down, Mary.' And she did sit down, while he stood leaning over her and thus spoke. 'You speak of sacrificing me. I am an old man with not many more years before me. If I did sacrifice what little is left to me of life with the object of befriending one whom I really love, there would be no more in it than what a man might do, and still feel that the balance was on the right side. But here there will be no sacrifice. My life will be happier, and so will Edith's. And so indeed will that boy's, if he did but know it. For the world's talk, which will last some month or two, I care nothing. This I will confess, that if I were prompted to this only by my own inclination, only by love for you' and as he spoke he held out his hand to her, and she could not refuse him hers—'in such a case I should doubt and hesitate and probably keep aloof from such a step. But it is not so. In doing this I shall gratify my own heart, and also serve you in your great troubles. Believe me, I have thought of that.'

'I know you have, Sir Peregrine,—and therefore it cannot be.'

'But therefore it shall be. The world knows it now; and were we to be separated after what has past, the world would say that I—I had thought you guilty of this crime.'

'I must bear all that.' And now she stood before him, not looking him in the face, but with her face turned down towards the ground, and speaking hardly above her breath.

'By heavens, no; not whilst I can stand by your side. Not whilst I have strength left to support you and thrust the lie down the throat of such a wretch as Joseph Mason. No, Mary, go back to Edith and tell her that you have tried it, but that there is no escape for you.' And then he smiled at her. His smile at times could be very pleasant!

But she did not smile as she answered him. 'Sir Peregrine,' she said; and she endeavoured to raise her face to his but failed.

'Well, my love.'

'Sir Peregrine, I am guilty.'

'Guilty! Guilty of what?' he said, startled rather than instructed by her words.

'Guilty of all this with which they charge me.' And then she threw herself at his feet, and wound her arms round his knees.