Vere may choose to
endure in Mr. Ratcliffe freedoms totally inconsistent with his situation
in life, I will not permit such license of innuendo, by word or look, to
be extended to me, with impunity."
"And I say," said young Mareschal of Mareschal-Wells, who was also
a guest at the castle, "that you are all stark mad to be standing
wrangling here, instead of going in pursuit of the ruffians."
"I have ordered off the domestics already in the track most likely to
overtake them," said Mr. Vere "if you will favour me with your company,
we will follow them, and assist in the search."
The efforts of the party were totally unsuccessful, probably because
Ellieslaw directed the pursuit to proceed in the direction of Earnscliff
Tower, under the supposition that the owner would prove to be the
author of the violence, so that they followed a direction diametrically
opposite to that in which the ruffians had actually proceeded. In the
evening they returned, harassed and out of spirits. But other guests
had, in the meanwhile, arrived at the castle; and, after the recent loss
sustained by the owner had been related, wondered at, and lamented, the
recollection of it was, for the present, drowned in the discussion
of deep political intrigues, of which the crisis and explosion were
momentarily looked for.
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