Believe me, he is already labouring in your behalf with the council.""It may be so," said the Master, proudly; "yet it is not to your father, Miss Ashton, but to my own exertions, that I ought to owe success in the career on which I am about to enter. My preparations are already made--a sword and a cloak, and a bold heart and a determined hand."Lucy covered her face her hands, and the tears, in spite of her, forced their way between her fingers.
"Forgive me," said Ravenswood, taking her right hand, which, after slight resistance, she yielded to him, still continuing to shade her face with the left--"I am too rude--too rough--too intractable to deal with any being so soft and gentle as you are.
Forget that so stern a vision has crossed your path of life; and let me pursue mine, sure that I can meet with no worse misfortune after the moment it divides me from your side."Lucy wept on, but her tears were less bitter. Each attempt which the Master made to explain his purpose of departure only proved a new evidence of his desire to stay; until, at length, instead of bidding her farewell, he gave his faith to her for ever, and received her troth in return. The whole passed so suddenly, and arose so much out of the immediate impulse of the moment, that ere the Master of Ravenswood could reflect upon the consequences of the step which he had taken, their lips, as well as their hands, had pledged the sincerity of their affection.
"And now," he said, after a moment's consideration, "it is fit Ishould speak to Sir William Ashton; he must know of our engagement. Ravenswood must not seem to dwell under his roof to solicit clandestinely the affections of his daughter.""You would not speak to my father on the subject?" said Lucy, doubtingly; and then added more warmly: "Oh do not--do not! Let your lot in life be determined--your station and purpose ascertained, before you address my father. I am sure he loves you--I think he will consent; but then my mother----!"She paused, ashamed to express the doubt she felt how far her father dared to form any positive resolution on this most important subject without the consent of his lady.
"Your mother, my Lucy!" replied Ravenswood. "She is of the house of Douglas, a house that has intermarried with mine even when its glory and power were at the highest; what could your mother object to my alliance?""I did not say object," said Lucy; "but she is jealous of her rights, and may claim a mother's title to be consulted in the first instance.""Be it so," replied Ravenswood. "London is distant, but a letter will reach it and receive an answer within a fortnight; Iwill not press on the Lord Keeper for an instant reply to my proposal.""But," hesitated Lucy, "were it not better to wait--to wait a few weeks? Were my mother to see you--to know you, I am sure she would approve; but you are unacquainted personally, and the ancient feud between the families----"Ravenswood fixed upon her his keen dark eyes, as if he was desirous of penetrating into her very soul.
"Lucy," he said, "I have sacrificed to you projects of vengeance long nursed, and sworn to with ceremonies little better than heathen--I sacrificed them to your image, ere I knew the worth which it represented. In the evening which succeeded my poor father's funeral, I cut a lock from my hair, and, as it consumed in the fire, I swore that my rage and revenge should pursue his enemies, until they shrivelled before me like that scorched-up symbol of annihilation.""It was a deadly sin," said Lucy, turning pale, "to make a vow so fatal.""I acknowledge it," said Ravenswood, "and it had been a worse crime to keep it. It was for your sake that I abjured these purposes of vengeance, though I scarce knew that such was the argument by which I was conquered, until I saw you once more, and became ocnscious of the influence you possessed over me.""And why do you now," said Lucy, "recall sentiments so terrible--sentiments so inconsistent with those you profess for me--with those your importunity has prevailed on me to acknowledge?""Because," said her lover, "I would impress on you the price at which I have bought your love--the right I have to expect your constancy. I say not that I have bartered for it the honour of my house, its last remaining possession; but though I say it not, and think it not, I cannot conceal from myself that the world may do both.""If such are your sentiments," said Lucy, "you have played a cruel game with me. But it is not too late to give it over: take back the faith and troth which you could not plight to me without suffering abatement of honour--let what is passed be as if it had not been--forget me; I will endeavour to forget myself.""You do me injustice," said the Master of Ravenswood--"by all Ihold true and honourable, you do me the extremity of injustice;if I mentioned the price at which I have bought your love, it is only to show how much I prize it, to bind our engagement by a still firmer tie, and to show, by what I have done to attain this atation in your regard, how much I must suffer should you ever break your faith.""And why, Ravenswood," answered Lucy, "should you think that possible? Why should you urge me with even the mention of infidelity? Is it because I ask you to delay applying to my father for a little space of time? Bind me by what vows you please; if vows are unnecessary to secure constancy, they may yet prevent suspicion."Ravenswood pleaded, apologised, and even kneeled, to appease her displeasure; and lucy, as placable as she was single-hearted, readily forgave the offence which his doubts had implied. The dispute thus agitated, however, ended by the lovers going through an emblematic ceremony of their troth-plight, of which the vulgar still preserve some traces. They broke betwixt them the thin broad-piece of gold which Alice had refused to receive from Ravenswood.
