Pray understand that I don't wish to marry him, if his daughters object to it.

He has only to say, 'Release me.' From that moment he is free." There was no contending against such a system of defence as this.

We knew as well as she did that our fascinated parent would not say the word.

Our one chance was to spend money in investigating the antecedent indiscretions of the lady's life, and to produce against her proof so indisputable that not even an old man's infatuation could say, This is a lie.
We disbursed; we investigated; we secured our proof.

It took a fortnight.
At the end of that time, we had the necessary materials in hand for opening the eyes of good Papa.
In the course of the inquiry I was brought into contact with many strange people--among others, with a man who startled me, at our first interview, by presenting a personal deformity, which, with all my experience of the world, I now saw oddly enough for the first time.
The man's face, instead of exhibiting any of the usual shades of complexion, was hideously distinguished by a superhuman--I had almost said a devilish--colouring of livid blackish _blue!_ He proved to be a most kind, intelligent, and serviceable person.