“Well, no, my dear,” replied the little doctor; “they could not very well chain her up. But I was there yesterday though, and I saw that Perowne had given her a very handsome chain.”
“Then why doesn’t he chain her up? I shall certainly tell Mr Perowne that he ought. This comes of the poor man having no wife and living out in these savage parts. Really, Henry, I don’t think we ought to go.”
“Oh! pooh, pooh—nonsense, my dear! You’ve nothing to mind. I’m not afraid of her. I’ll take care of you.”
“I know you are very good, and brave, and strong, Harry,” said the little lady, smiling, “and if you say it is safe I will go, for I do trust in your knowledge, and—there, now, I declare I am quite angry! You are laughing, sir! I’m sure there is some trick!”
“Trick? What trick?” cried the doctor, chuckling.
“Do you mean to tell me, sir, that Mr Perowne has a wild tigress running about his place?”
“Oh, no; I never said a wild tigress—did I, Arthur?”
“I—I did not quite hear what you said, Henry,” replied the chaplain.
“You said a dangerous creature—a sort of tigress, sir.”
“Right, so I did; and so he has.”