"
"Tell him," said Sir Robert, "we will wait upon him immediately."
As Oswald went away, he heard Wenlock say, "So Edmund is gone, it is no
matter how, or whither."
Another said, "I hope the ghost has taken him out of the way." The rest
laughed at the conceit, as they followed Oswald down stairs. They
found the Baron, and his son William, commenting upon the key and the
letter. My lord gave them to Sir Robert, who
looked on them with marks of surprise and confusion.
The Baron addressed him--
"Is not this a very strange affair? Son Robert, lay aside your ill
humours, and
behave to your father with the respect and affection his tenderness
deserves
from you, and give me your advice and opinion on this alarming subject."
"My Lord," said Sir Robert, "I am as much confounded as yourself--I can
give no advice--let my cousins see the letter--let us have their
opinion."
They read it in turn--they were equally surprised; but when it came
into Wenlock's hand,
he paused and meditated some minutes.
At length--"I am indeed surprised, and still more concerned, to see my
lord and uncle the dupe of an artful contrivance; and, if he will
permit me, I shall endeavour to unriddle it, to
the confusion of all that are concerned in it."
"Do so, Dick," said my lord, "and you shall have my thanks for it."
"This letter," said he, "I imagine to be the contrivance of Edmund, or
some ingenious friend of his, to conceal some designs they have against
the peace of this family, which has been
too often disturbed upon that rascal's account.
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