There she stood, her
arms folded, her eyes turned inward, her every feature, and even her
body, seemed to think. The result came out like lightning from a cloud.
"It's all a falsehood," said she.
"A falsehood!" said Colonel Clifford.
"Yes, a falsehood upon the face of it. My father witnessed this
marriage, and therefore if the bridegroom had been our Walter he would
never have allowed our Walter to court me, for he knew of our courtship
all along, and never once disapproved of it."
"Then do you think it is a mistake?" said the Colonel, eagerly.
"No, I do not," said Grace. "I think it is an imposture. This man was not
a clergyman when he brought me the certificate; he was a man of business,
a plain tradesman, a man of the world; he had a colored necktie, and some
rather tawdry chains."
"Did he speak in a kind of sing-song?"
"Not at all; his voice was clear and cutting, only he softened it down
once or twice out of what I took for good feeling at the time. He's an
impostor and a villain. Dear sir, don't agitate poor Walter or my dear
father with this vile thing (she handed him back the certificate).
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