You
have no right to go outside the range at least of respectable men, to
place your affections and bestow your beauty and religion on a
particularly bad man--a criminal indeed--one already fled from this
community, and under circumstances of the greatest suspicion. I mean
Andrew Zane!"
"Hush!" exclaimed Agnes; "perhaps he is dead."
A short and awkward quiet succeeded, broken by young Van de Lear's
interruption at last:
"Aggy, I don't know but it is the best thing. Is it so?"
"For shame, sir!"
"He wouldn't have come to any good. I know him well. We went to school
together here in Kensington. Under a light and agreeable exterior he
concealed an obstinacy almost devilish. All the tricks and daredevil
feats we heard of, he was at the head of them. After he grew up his eyes
fell on you. For a time he was soberer. Then, perceiving that you were
also his father's choice, he conspired against his father, repeatedly
absconded, and gave that father great trouble to find and return him to
his home, and still stepped between Mr. Zane and his wishes. Was that
the part of a grateful and obedient son?"
Not a word was returned by Agnes Wilt.
"How ill-advised," continued Calvin Van de Lear, "was your weakness
during that behavior! Do you know what the tattle of all Kensington is?
That you favored both the father and the son! That you declined the son
only because his father might disinherit him, and put off the father
because the son would have the longer enjoyment of his property! I have
defended you everywhere on these charges.
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