Crime & punishment > Peveril of the Peak > Volume 2

PEVERIL OF THE PEAK.
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merely tlie feudal chief of a small island, hut one
of the noble Peers of England, who must not re¬
main in the security of an obscure and distant
castle, when his name, or that of his mother, is
slandered before his Px-ince and people. He will
take his place, he says, in the House of Lords,
and publicly demand justice for the insult thrown
on his house, by pex-jui’ed and intex-ested wit¬
nesses.”
“It. is a generous resolution, and worthy of
my fi'iend,” said Julian Peveril. “I will go
with him, and share his fate, be it what it may/'
“Alas, foolish boy!*’ answered the Countess,
‘‘ as well may you ask a hungry lion to feel com¬
passion, as a prejudiced and fui’ious people to do
justice. They are like the madman at tjie height
of frency, who murders without compunction
his best and dearest friend $ and only wonders
and wails over his own cruelty, when he is reco¬
vered from his delirium/’
“Pardon me, dearest lady,” said Julian, “this
cannot be. The noble and generous people of
England cannot be thus strangely misled. What
ever prepossessions may be current among the
more vulgar, the Houses of Legislalure cannot
he deeply infected by tlxem—they will remember
their own dignity.”
“ Alas, cousin,” answered the Countess, “ when
did Englishmen, even of the highest degree, re¬
member anything, when hurried away by the vio¬
lence of pai'ty feeling? Even those who have too