Let him bend
the knee to you. Let him promise amendment, and implore pardon, and it
will then be for you to consider whether you will extend forgiveness to
him."
Lady Roos looked as if she would fain interrupt her mother, but she was
too much under her subjection to offer a remark.
"It is time to undeceive you, Madam," said Lord Roos, wholly unmoved by
what was said. "I am not in the strait you suppose; and have not the
slightest intention of soliciting Lady Roos's pardon, or making any
promise to her."
"O mother! you see that even _you_ fail to move him," said Lady Roos,
tearfully. "What is to happen to me?"
"You will make me chide you, daughter, if you exhibit this weakness,"
cried Lady Lake, angrily. "Let me deal with him. In spite of your
affected confidence, my lord, you cannot be blind to the position in
which you stand. And though you yourself personally may be careless of
the consequences of a refusal of our demands, you cannot, I conceive, be
equally indifferent to the fate of the Countess of Exeter, which that
refusal will decide."
"I am so little indifferent to the safety of the Countess, Madam, that I
cannot sufficiently rejoice that she is out of the reach of your
malice."
"How, my lord!" exclaimed Lady Lake, astounded at his assurance. "Out of
reach, when she is here! You cannot mean," she added, with an
undefinable expression of satisfaction, "that she is dead?"
"Dead!" ejaculated Lady Roos; "the Countess dead! I thought she was only
in a swoon.
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