The following conversation passed between them.

’You now behold who it is, Mr. Beltham, that acknowledges to the misfortune of arousing you at an unseemly hour—­unbetimes, as our gossips in mother Saxon might say—­and with profound regret, sir, though my habit is to take it lightly.’

‘Have you any accomplices lurking about here?’

‘I am alone.’

’What ‘s your business?’

‘I have no business.’

’You have no business to be here, no.  I ask you what ’s the object of your visit?’

’Permit me first to speak of the cause of my protracted arrival, sir.  The ridicule of casting it on the post-boys will strike you, Mr. Beltham, as it does me.  Nevertheless, I must do it; I have no resource.  Owing to a rascal of the genus, incontinent in liquor, I have this night walked seven miles from Ewling.  My complaint against him is not on my own account.’

‘What brought you here at all?’

‘Can you ask me?’

‘I ask you what brought you to my house at all?’

‘True, I might have slept at Ewling.’

‘Why didn’t you?’

’For the reason, Mr. Beltham, which brought me here originally.  I could not wait-not a single minute.  So far advanced to the neighbourhood, I would not be retarded, and I came on.  I crave your excuses for the hour of my arrival.  The grounds for my coming at all you will very well understand, and you will applaud me when I declare to you that I come to her penitent; to exculpate myself, certainly, but despising self-justification.  I love my wife, Mr. Beltham.  Yes; hear me out, sir.  I can point to my unhappy star, and say, blame that more than me.  That star of my birth and most disastrous fortunes should plead on my behalf to you; to my wife at least it will.’

‘You’ve come to see my daughter Marian, have you?’

‘My wife, sir.’

‘You don’t cross my threshold while I live.’

‘You compel her to come out to me?’

’She stays where she is, poor wretch, till the grave takes her.  You’ve done your worst; be off.’

‘Mr. Beltham, I am not to be restrained from the sight of my wife.’

‘Scamp!’

’By no scurrilous epithets from a man I am bound to respect will I be deterred or exasperated.’

‘Damned scamp, I say!’ The squire having exploded his wrath gave it free way.  ’I’ve stopped my tongue all this while before a scoundrel ’d corkscrew the best-bottled temper right or left, go where you will one end o’ the world to the other, by God!  And here ’s a scoundrel stinks of villany, and I’ve proclaimed him ’ware my gates as a common trespasser, and deserves hanging if ever rook did nailed hard and fast to my barn doors! comes here for my daughter, when he got her by stealing her, scenting his carcase, and talking ’bout his birth, singing what not sort o’ foreign mewin’ stuff, and she found him out a liar and a beast, by God!  And she turned home.  My