"Nor I either!" I added. "But my honour and--circumstances would seem
to demand it."
"What circumstances, young sir?" demanded the Tinker, his features
distorted by a sudden fierce scowl. "Ha, d'ye mean as you've taken
advantage of--"
"Don't be foolish, Jerry!" said Diana serenely. "Does he look as if he
would take advantage of any one? d'ye think he could take advantage o'
me? Can't you see he ain't--is not th' kind I keeps my little knife
for? Don't be foolish, Jerry; he's never even tried to kiss me--nor
wanted to--"
"How do you know that?" I demanded impulsively. Now at this she turned
and looked at me, red lips parted in speechless surprise.
"How do you know?" I repeated. "How can you be so sure?"
"Be-cause!" she murmured and then, all at once, from throat to brow
crept a wave of hot colour, her long lashes drooped and she turned
away with a strange, new shyness; and in this moment I saw she was
altogether more lovely than I had ever imagined her.
"Why, Diana!" I said. "Child, you need never trouble to take your
knife to me; the respect I have for your goodness is enough--"
"Ah, Peregrine," she whispered fiercely, without turning her head, "I
am only good because I have seen enough of evil to hate it!"
"And it is just because I would shield you from all and every evil
that I would marry you, Diana."
"Ha!" exclaimed the Tinker, so suddenly that I started, having clean
forgotten his existence.
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