touched him so much, that he was extremely anxious to interest his father
in her favour. He explained the cause of her fainting, and asked whether
she was not much to be pitied. All pitied her--and Godfrey, encouraged
by this pity, went on to prove that she ought not to be blamed for her
mother's faults; that nothing could be more unjust and cruel than to think
ill of the innocent daughter, because her mother had been imprudent.

"But, Godfrey," said Rosamond, "you seem to be answering some one who has
attacked Miss Hauton--whom are you contending with?"

"With himself," said Mr. Percy. "His prudence tells him that the gentleman
was quite right in saying that no man of sense would marry the daughter
of a woman who had conducted herself ill, and yet he wishes to make an
exception to the general rule in favour of pretty Miss Hauton."

"Pretty! My dear father, she is a great deal more than pretty: if she were
only pretty, I should not be so much interested about her. But putting her
quite out of the question, I do not agree with the general principle that
a man should not marry the daughter of a woman who has conducted herself
ill."

"I think you did agree with it till you knew that it applied to Miss
Hauton's case," said Mr. Percy: "as well as I remember, Godfrey, I heard
you once answer on a similar occasion, 'No, no--I will have nothing
to do with any of the daughters of that mother--black cats have black
kittens'--or 'black dogs have black puppies'--I forget which you said."

"Whichever it was, I am ashamed of having quoted such a vulgar proverb,"
said Godfrey.