Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/48

38 him for uttering; proclaiming it aloud, as he did, without delicacy or discrimination, in an audience where it seemed profanation to utter your name—himself utterly incapable of understanding or appreciating your real excellencies. Huntingdon meanwhile, sat quietly drinking his wine, or looking smilingly into his glass and offering no interruption or reply, till Hattersley shouted out,—

"'Do you hear me, man?'

"'Yes, go on,' said he.

"'Nay, I've done," replied the other: 'I only want to know if you intend to take my advice.'

"'What advice?'

"'To turn over a new leaf, you double-died scoundrel,' shouted Ralph, 'and beg your wife's pardon, and be a good boy for the future.'

"'My wife! what wife? I have no wife,' replied Huntingdon, looking innocently up from his glass—'or if I have, look you