He was said to be very rich, though some reports had gone about that his fortune had all been amassed by gambling in no very honourable manner.
With this man Mr.Greville was continually associated; they were seldom seen apart, and being thus the favourite of the master, he was constantly at the house.

To Mrs.Greville as to Mary he was an object of indefinable yet strong aversion, and willingly would they have always denied themselves, and thus escaped his odious presence.

Once they had done so, but the storm of fury that burst from Mr.Greville intimidated both; they felt some little concession on their parts was demanded to preserve peace, and Monsieur Dupont continued his visits.
To this man, publicly known as unprincipled, selfish, incapable of one exalted or generous feeling, Greville had sworn to give his gentle and unoffending child; this man he sternly commanded Mary to receive as her husband, and prepare herself for her marriage within a month.
As if a thunderbolt had fallen, Mary and her mother listened to these terrible words, and scarcely had the latter sufficient courage to inform her unpitying husband of their child's engagement with Herbert Hamilton.

For Mary's sake, she struggled and spoke, but her fears were not without foundation.

A horrid imprecation on Mr.Hamilton and his family burst instantly from the lips of the now infuriated Greville; he had chosen for many years to fancy himself deeply injured by that gentleman, and, with an oath too fearful to be written, he solemnly swore that Mary should never be the wife of Herbert; he would rather see her dead.