"And it's enough to provoke even a gentleman's curiosity," said the lady, "to hear that trouble is to come to this sweet girl through the love of a woman instead of that of a man."
"All troubles through love come from love of a woman," observed the gentleman oracularly.
"Does your experience teach you that?" inquired the lady, peering laughingly into his eyes.
"What my experience teaches me," he replied, with a shadow gathering on his face, "I reserve."
"After a lawyer's fashion," said the lady, again taking up his words. "You are self-convicted, Mr. Temple."
"In what way?"
"If you saw your face in a glass, you would receive your answer."
"Psha!" he exclaimed, directing his attention to the gipsy. "You have told this little girl that a woman will bring her trouble. Beyond your skill to say what woman."
"A woman younger than herself; more beautiful than herself; that she loves, and loves dearly. Show yourself, my beauty."
With no unkindly hand, knowing that it would not be tolerated, she raised the Duchess's chin with her fingers, so that the lady and gentleman could see her face. At the same moment Seth Dumbrick plucked the Duchess from the gipsy, and pressed her to his side, with a steady eye upon the gentleman.