"I tell you frankly, madam, I neither can nor will be guilty of the incivility you propose to the Master of Ravenswood—he has not deserved it at my hand. If you will be so unreasonable as to insult a man of quality under your own roof, I cannot prevent you, but I will not at least be the agent in such a preposterous proceeding."
"You will not?" asked the lady.
"No, by Heavens, madam," her husband replied; "ask me anything congruent with common decency, as to drop his acquaintance by degrees, or the like—but to bid him leave my house, is what I will not, and cannot consent to."
"Then the task of supporting the honour of the family will fall on me, as it has often done before," said the lady.
She sat down, and hastily wrote a few lines. The Lord Keeper made another effort to prevent her taking a step so decisive, just as she opened the door to call her female attendant from the anti-room. "Think what you are doing, Lady Ash-
