“Oh, don’t play comedy! Presently, at four o’clock precisely, I shall
call for you. If I find you dressed, and ready to accompany me to Miss
Brandon’s house, all right. If not M. Champcey has been here for the
last time in his life; and you will never--do you hear?--never be his
wife. Now I leave you alone; you can reflect!”
And he went out, closing the door so violently, that the whole house
seemed to shake.
“All is over!”
Both Henrietta and Daniel were crushed by this certain conviction.
The crisis could no longer be postponed. A few hours more, and the
mischief would be done. Daniel was the first to shake off the stupor of
despair; and, taking Henrietta’s hand, he asked her,--
“You have heard what your father said. What will you do?”
“What I said I would do, whatever it may cost me.”
“But could you yield?”
“Yield?” exclaimed the young girl.