下载辰思小说免费APP
Thentheyremainedgrimandsilentwhilethepair，whowerenotreallymuchinjured，pickedthemselvesupwithgroans。
“IamsorrythatIknockedyoudown，sinceIamyoungandyouarenot，“saidGodfrey，“butIrepeatthatyouarealiar，“headdedbyanafterthought。
SirJohnspatoutatooth，andbegantomopthebloodfromhisnosewithasilkpocket-handkerchief。
“Oh!youdo，doyou？“hesaidinasomewhatsubduedvoice。“Well，you’llfindoutthatI’motherthingstoobeforeI’mdonewithyou。
AndIrepeatthatyouarefortune-huntingyoungrascalandthatI
wouldratherseemydaughterdeadthanmarriedtoyou。“
“AndIsay，Godfrey，Iwouldratherseeyoudeadthanmarriedtoher!“
brokeinMr。Knight，spittingouthiswordslikeanangrycat。
“Idon’tthinkthatyouneedbeafraid，Father，“answeredGodfreyquietly，althoughhisrageburnedasfiercelyasever。“Youhaveworkedthisbusinesswell，anditseemsalittleimpossiblenow，doesn’tit？Listen，SirJohnBlake。NotevenforthesakeofIsobelwillIsubmittosuchinsults。Iwillnotgiveherup，butIswearbyGodthatwhileyouarealiveIwillnotmarryIsobel，norwillIwritetoherorspeaktoheragain。Afteryouaredead，whichIdaresaywillbebeforesoverylong，“andhesurveyedthehuge，puffy-fleshedbaronetwithacriticaleye，“then——ifshecarestowaitforme——I
willmarryher，hopingthatinthemeanwhileyoumayloseyourmoneyordisposeofitasyoulike。“
SirJohnstared，stillmoppinghisface，butfindingnowords。Hefeareddeathverymuchandthisprophecyofit，spokenwithsucharingoftruth，asthoughthespeakerknew，frightenedhim。AtthatmomentinhishearthecursedtheReverendMr。Knightandhistale-
bearing，andwishedmostearnestlythathehadneverbeenledintointerferencewiththismatter。AfterallGodfreywasafineyoungmanwhomhisdaughtercaredfor，andmightdowellinlife，andhehadstruckhimfirstafterofferinghimintentionalandpre-arrangedinsult。Suchwerethethoughtsthatflashedthroughhissomewhatmuddledbrain。Alsoanother，thattheyweretoolate。Theevilwasdoneandnevercouldbeundone。
ThenIsobelspokeincold，cleartones，saying：
“Godfreyisquiterightandhasbeenrightallthrough。Hadyou，Father，andthatman，“andshepointedcontemptuouslyatMr。Knight，“leftusaloneweshouldhavecomeandtoldyouwhathadhappenedbetweenus，andifyoudisapprovedwewouldhavewaiteduntilwewereoffullageandhavemarriedasweshouldhavebeenfreetodo。Butnowthatisimpossible，forblowshavepassedbetweenyou。Afterslanderinghimvilely，youstruckGodfreyfirst，Father，andhewouldnothavebeenamanifhehadnotstruckyouback；indeedIshouldhavethoughtlittleofhimafterwards。Well，hehasmadean
