Читать книгу Charles Peace, or The Adventures of a Notorious Burglar онлайн

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“He is of my own race, but his father is an alien. The boy has noble blood in his veins—​the father has none. The former has a strong claim on me—​the latter has none whatever. You must see this; nay, I am sure you do.”

“Yes, I can understand that, but——”

“Well, sir, but what?”

“For the life of me I cannot see what this young man has done that you should seek, my lord, to tempt from him the wife he loves.”

Lord Ethalwood uttered an expression of disgust.

“If you are his champion,” he said, bitterly—​“if you plead his cause so pertinaciously, in opposition to my expressed wishes, say so at once, and I shall know how to obtain the services of another legal adviser.”

“I much regret you should for a moment imagine that I have not your interest at heart. Why should I be the champion of a young fellow whom I have never seen? I have always had the privilege of speaking plainly, and it is not because I have done so in this case that I should merit your censure. However, if you have no confidence in me, my lord, it is competent for you to obtain better advice—​or rather advice more in accordance with your own views.”