Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 2 - 1819.djvu/24

14 should be made any where rather than under my father's roof."

"I should have felt the delicacy of this appeal at another time," said Sir William Ashton, "but now I must proceed with what I meant to say.—I have suffered too much in my own mind from the false delicacy which prevented my soliciting with earnestness, what indeed I frequently requested, a personal communing with your father—much distress of mind to him and to me might have been prevented."

"It is true," said Ravenswood, after a moment's reflection; "I have heard my father say your lordship had proposed a personal interview."

"Proposed, my dear Master? I did indeed propose it, but I ought to have begged, entreated, beseeched it. I ought to have torn away the veil which interested persons had stretched betwixt us, and shewn myself as I was, willing to sacrifice a considerable part even of my legal rights in order to conciliate feelings so natural as his