Amy now spent her days either at the easel, or in receiving instructions from the masters her father hired, and her evenings in entertaining his guests.  He appeared not to have an idea that prudence required that some matronly lady should become the chaperon of his isolated child, much less that her heart could yearn for feminine society.  To one who was naturally so sensitive and timid, the task was exquisitely painful; yet she dared not murmur, or a volley of abuse would have been the result.  Nine months thus passed away in splendid misery, during which period Beaufort had often indirectly expressed his wishes that his daughter would accept the overtures of the baronet; but on the morning of her twentieth birthday, he called her into his studio, saying that he had a matter of importance to consult with her upon.  Poor Amy guessed too well the subject he was about to introduce; but she was appalled when, in a few hurried words, and with a voice almost choked by agitation, he told her that it depended on her decision, respecting the acceptance of Sir Philip Rushwood’s suit, whether he was to give her away at the altar as a bride, or be himself dragged to a prison.

‘But why, father, should there be so dreadful an alternative?’ she eagerly asked.

’Because I have nothing but what I owe to him.  On his credit this house has been furnished, and his trades-people have supplied our table.  Your very apparel has been purchased from sums of money I have from time to time borrowed from him—­for I have not yet met with the increased sale and handsome remuneration for my pictures I was led to expect.  Indeed, many of those you supposed to be ordered, were pledged for a tenth part of their value.  If, however, you become his wife,’ he proceeded, ’we shall never want; for his fortune is immense, and he is easily persuaded to part with it; but if you refuse, his vanity, which is his ruling passion, will be so deeply wounded, that he will withdraw his assistance from me, and our ruin is inevitable.  I have amused him with hopes of success and assurances that you will smile on him at last, in spite of your girlish coquetry, till he is incensed at the delay; and he last night told me that he would be put off no longer, but have a positive answer from your own lips this very evening.’  Amy pressed her hands upon her burning brow in unutterable anguish.  ‘Yes,’ her father resumed, ’this very evening you must set your seal to our destiny.  It remains for you either to open a brilliant career before me, or to shut me up in a prison in disgrace.  I ask you not to give me an answer.  Your bane and antidote are both before you; but remember that on the decision of your lips to-night our mutual welfare depends.’