“Ye—yes, of course; most dangerous!”
“Why, remember, this girl is twenty-three years old. Nobody will marry her, and suddenly you, a rich and eminent man of rank and title, appear on the scene as her accepted swain. They would lay hold of the idea at once, and act up to it, and swear that you really were her future husband, and would marry you off, too. I daresay they would even count upon your speedy death, and make their calculations accordingly.”
“No!”
“Then again, uncle; a man of your dignity——”
“Ye—yes, quite so, dig—nity!”
“And wisdom,—and amiability——”
“Quite so; wis—dom—wisdom!”
“And then—a prince into the bargain! Good gracious, uncle, as if a man like yourself would make such a match as that, if you really did mean marrying! What would your relations say?”
“Why, my dear boy, they'd simply ea—eat me up,—I—I know their cunning and malice of old! My dear fellow—you won't believe it—but I assure you I was afraid they were going to put me into a lun—atic asylum! a common ma—ad-house! Goodness me, think of that! Whatever should I have done with myself all day in a ma—ad-house?”
“Of course, of course! Well, I won't leave your side, then, uncle, when you go downstairs. There are guests there too!”