Listen, before
you thank me. I wish, at once, to relieve you of all misunderstanding.
Remember this well, sir; had I been master of the situation, I would
never have recognised you: Albert should have remained in the position
in which I placed him."
"I understand you, sir," replied Noel. "I don't think that I could
ever bring myself to do an act like that by which you deprived me of
my birthright; but I declare that, if I had the misfortune to do so, I
should afterwards have acted as you have. Your rank was too conspicuous
to permit a voluntary acknowledgment. It was a thousand times better to
suffer an injustice to continue in secret, than to expose the name to
the comments of the malicious."
This answer surprised the count, and very agreeably too. But he wouldn't
let his satisfaction be seen, and it was in a still harsher voice that
he resumed.
"I have no claim, sir, upon your affection; I do not ask for it, but I
insist at all times upon the utmost deference. It is traditional in our
house, that a son shall never interrupt his father when he is speaking;
that, you have just been guilty of. Neither do children judge their
parents; that also you have just done.
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