Lord Colambre, however impatient, had now too much humanity to hurry the old gentleman; he only ran for the spectacles, which he espied on the chimney-piece, rubbed them bright, and held them ready.

Mr.Reynolds stretched his hand out for them, put them on, and the first paper he opened was the certificate of the marriage; he read it aloud, and, putting it down, said-- 'Now I acknowledge the marriage.

I always said, if there is a marriage there must be a certificate.

And you see now there is a certificate I acknowledge the marriage.' 'And now,' cried Lord Colambre, 'I am happy, positively happy.
Acknowledge your grand-daughter, sir--acknowledge Miss Nugent.' 'Acknowledge who, sir ?' 'Acknowledge Miss Reynolds--your grand-daughter; I ask no more--do what you will with your fortune.' 'Oh, now I understand--I begin to understand this young gentleman is in love--but where is my grand-daughter ?--how shall I know she is my grand-daughter?
I have not heard of her since she was an infant--I forgot her existence--I have done her great injustice.' 'She knows nothing of it, sir,' said Lord Colambre, who now entered into a full explanation of Miss Nugent's history, and of her connexion with his family, and of his own attachment to her; concluding the whole by assuring Mr.Reynolds that his grand-daughter had every virtue under heaven.

'And as to your fortune, sir, I know that she will, as I do, say--' 'No matter what she will say,' interrupted old Reynolds; 'where is she?
When I see her, I shall hear what she says.