Lady Georgiana uttered a faint scream, covered her face with her hands, and fell back in her chair sobbing bitterly.
“You speak of unnatural conduct!” cried Mr. Hatfield, growing excited in his turn. “Tell me at once, Charles--do you mean to throw off all allegiance to your parents? If so--remember that it is in our power to deprive you of the immense fortune which is otherwise destined for you----”
“Ah! menaces!” ejaculated the young man: and darting upon his father a look of mingled regret and anger--of united sorrow and indignation,--a look so strange, so ominous that Mr. Hatfield started with horror,--he rushed from the room.
“Stay! stay!” cried Lady Georgiana, springing towards the door.
But her son heeded her not: he obeyed not her voice;--and the unhappy mother sank upon the floor, gasping for utterance, and feeling as if her heart would break with the wretched sensations that filled her bosom.
Mr. Hatfield hastened to raise his wife--to place her in a chair--and to breath words of consolation in her ears.
When she was somewhat recovered, she clasped her hands convulsively together; and, looking up appealingly into his face, said, “Is this a reality? or is it a dream?”
“Alas! it is a terrible reality,” responded Mr. Hatfield, in a tone of mingled bitterness and sorrow.
“And what can it all mean?” asked Lady Georgiana, wildly: for she was bewildered by the strangeness of her son’s conduct--amazed by the sudden alteration of his manner from respect to insolent indifference towards his parents.
“Heaven alone can solve that question for us at present,” returned her husband. “Can it be that he has learnt any thing--that he suspects aught of the past? No--no: that is impossible! But ever since the discovery of his real parentage, he has been altered;--sometimes moody and thoughtful--at others petulant and hasty,--now unnaturally gay and excited--then deeply depressed and melancholy,--but never unruly and overbearing, disobedient and rebellious, as he has shown himself this forenoon.”
“’Tis easy to perceive, I fear, that he is troubled by the mystery which induced us to conceal his position with regard to us,” said Lady Georgiana;--“and likewise--yes, likewise,” she added hesitatingly, “the circumstance that he still passes as our nephew weighs upon his mind!”