She flung herself on his mercy. Every word she spoke
impressed Sir Anthony. This was no mere acting; the girl really
meant it. Brought up in those hateful surroundings, innate purity
of mind had preserved her innocent heart from the contagion of
example. She spoke like a sensible, modest, healthy English
maiden. She was indeed a granddaughter any man might be proud of.
'Twas clear as the sun in the London sky to Sir Anthony that she
recoiled with horror from her mother's position. He sympathized
with her and pitied her. Dolores, all blushes, lifted her eyelids
and looked at him. Her grandfather drew her towards him with a
smile of real tenderness, and, unbending as none had seen him
unbend before since Alan's death, told her all the sad history as
he himself envisaged it. Dolores listened and shuddered. The old
man was vanquished. He would have taken her once to himself, he
said, if Herminia had permitted it; he would take her to himself
now, if Dolores would come to him.
As for Dolly, she lay sobbing and crying in Sir Anthony's arms, as
though she had always known him.
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