Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/212

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THE TENANT

"Is he here?"

"Wherever he is, you will not see him till you have promised to leave him entirely under my care and protection, and to let me take him away whenever and wherever I please, if I should hereafter judge it necessary to remove him again. But we will talk of that to-morrow: you must be quiet now."

"No, let me see him now. I promise, if it must be so."

"I swear it, as God is in Heaven! Now then, let me see him."

"But I cannot trust your oaths and promises: I must have a written agreement, and you must sign it in presence of a witness—but not to-day, to-morrow."

"No, to-day—now," persisted he: and he was in such a state of feverish excitement, and so bent upon the immediate gratification of his wish, that I thought it better to grant it at once, as I saw he would not rest till I did. But