"I do, dear Aunt."
"That you actually--disobey me?"
"Dear Aunt--I do!"
"Pray, who is the young person I notice behind you?"
"Person, Aunt?"
"The young woman--the wild, gipsy-looking creature."
"Ah, pray forgive me--I should have introduced you before. Diana, this
is my aunt, Lady Julia Conroy--Aunt, this is my friend Diana."
"And pray what is she doing here?"
"She is about to cook a steak and onions--"
"Do you mean--O pitiful heaven--that she is--living here with--"
"With Jeremy Jarvis, a tinker, Jessamy Todd, a champion pugilist, and
myself."
"Shocking!" exclaimed my aunt, sweeping Diana with the fire of her
disparaging regard.
"Moreover, dear Aunt," I continued, stung by something in her
attitude, "it is my hope to make myself sufficiently worthy to win
Diana in--in marriage!"
"Marriage?" repeated my aunt in a hoarse whisper. "I dream! Marriage?
With a wild woman! George! Jervas!" she gasped in strange, breathless
fashion. "Our poor boy is either mad--or worse, and whichever it
prove, it is all your doing! I hope, I sincerely hope, you are
satisfied with your handiwork! As for you, you poor young woman," she
continued, turning on Diana in passionate appeal, "if my nephew is
mad, be you sane enough to know that such a marriage would drag him to
perdition and bring you only misery and shame in the long run. Give up
my poor, distracted nephew and I will be your friend. If it is money
you require--"
Diana laughed:
"My lady, an' if you please, ma'm," said she, curtseying, finger
beneath dimpled chin, "I ain't your young woman an' by your leave,
ma'm, never could be, because, though I don't love Mr.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226