As to Julian, Horace was utterly wrong. But as to Lady Janet, he echoed
the warning words which Julian himself had spoken to Mercy. She was
staggered, but she still held to her own opinion. "I don't believe it,"
she said, firmly.
He advanced a step, and fixed his angry eyes on her searchingly.
"Do you know why Lady Janet sent for me?" he asked.
"No."
"Then I will tell you. Lady Janet is a stanch friend of yours, there is
no denying that. She wished to inform me that she had altered her mind
about your promised explanation of your conduct. She said, 'Reflection
has convinced me that no explanation is required; I have laid my
positive commands on my adopted daughter that no explanation shall take
place.' Has she done that?"
"Yes."
"Now observe! I waited till she had finished, and then I said, 'What
have I to do with this?' Lady Janet has one merit--she speaks out.
'You are to do as I do,' she answered. 'You are to consider that no
explanation is required, and you are to consign the whole matter to
oblivion from this time forth.' 'Are you serious?' I asked. 'Quite
serious.' 'In that case I have to inform your ladyship that you insist
on more than you may suppose: you insist on my breaking my engagement
to Miss Roseberry. Either I am to have the explanation that she has
promised me, or I refuse to marry her.' How do you think Lady Janet took
that? She shut up her lips, and she spread out her hands, and she looked
at me as much as to say, 'Just as you please! Refuse if you like; it's
nothing to me!'"
He paused for a moment. Mercy remained silent, on her side: she foresaw
what was coming. Mistaken in supposing that Horace had left the house,
Julian had, beyond all doubt, been equally in error in concluding that
he had been entrapped into breaking off the engagement upstairs.
"Do you understand me so far?" Horace asked.
"I understand you perfectly."
"I will not trouble you much longer," he resumed. "I said to Lady Janet,
'Be so good as to answer me in plain words. Do you still insist on
closing Miss Roseberry's lips?' 'I still insist,' she answered.
'No explanation is required. If you are base enough to suspect your
betrothed wife, I am just enough to believe in my adopted daughter.' I
replied--and I beg you will give your best attention to what I am now
going to say--I replied to that, 'It is not fair to charge me with
suspecting her. I don't understand her confidential relations with
Julian Gray, and I don't understand her language and conduct in the
presence of the police officer. I claim it as my right to be satisfied
on both those points--in the character of the man who is to marry her.'
There was my answer. I spare you all that followed. I only repeat what I
said to Lady Janet. She has commanded you to be silent. If you obey her
commands, I owe it to myself and I owe it to my family to release you
from your engagement. Choose between your duty to Lady Janet and your
duty to Me."