“Then let me tell you, sir, ’twas a very sorry jest,” said Mrs. Thrale.
“I say ’twas a jest; at the same time, should any gentleman within earshot feel himself aggrieved by my humour, he will not find Captain Mathews slow to give him any satisfaction he may demand.”
The fellow pursed out his lips, and struck the ground with his cane.
Mr. Long turned his back upon the man and entered smilingly into conversation with Mrs. Cholmondeley. For a moment he was separated from Betsy, and Mathews took advantage of that moment to get beside her.
“You are never going to be fool enough to marry a man old enough to be your grandfather?” said he in a low voice.
She made a movement as if to get beside Mr. Long; but he adroitly prevented her from carrying out her intention.
“You think I am the man to stand tamely by and see you marry him or any one else?” he said, putting his face close to hers, his eyes glaring into her own (he was imitating the attitude and the language of one of the actors whom he had recently seen at the Bristol theatre).
“You think I am the man to stand tamely by and see you marry him or any one else?”
[page [72].