Marian looked at him apprehensively, and said nothing.
“You see you will only mix up matters worse than before unless you know the truth. Besides, I offered to marry her: upon my soul I did; but she refused. Her real name is Susanna Conolly: his sister, worse luck.”
“Dont tell me any more of this, Duke. It is not right.”
“I suppose it’s not right, as you say. But what am I to do? I must tell you; or you will go on making mischief with Constance.”
“As if I would tell her! I promise that she shall never know from me. Is that enough?”
“No: its too much. The plain truth is that I dont care whether she finds me out or not. I want her to understand thoroughly, once and for ever, that I wont marry her.”
“Marmaduke!”
“Not if I were fifty Marmadukes!”
“Then you will break her heart.”
“Never fear! Her heart is pretty tough, if she has one. Whether or no, I am not going to have her forced on me by the Countess or any one else. The truth is, Marian, they have all tried to bully me into this match. Constance can’t complain.”