"Fooled—duped—done brown, by God!" exclaimed Curtis, as he began to pace the room with no affected agitation. "Saddled with a wife and five children—overwhelmed with her debts and my own—and, what's a deuced sight worse, made an ass of! I've regularly sold myself, as my friend the Duke——no, damn the Duke! I'm in no humour for Dukes and that kind of nonsense now—I don't know a Duke, and never did—and never shall—and so it's no use telling a parcel of lies any more! Plague take this old cat with her half-dozen brats—or near upon that number——"
"And plague take you, then!" screeched the newly-married lady, recovering with most surprising abruptness from her fit, and starting up like a fury. "Why, you swindling scoundrel, how dare you call me names? I'll tear your eyes out, I will, if you say over again what you've just said."
"I say you're a regular adventuress!" cried Frank.
"And you are an impostor—a cheat!" yelled the lady.
"Your fortune is all a gammon!" exclaimed Curtis.
"And your's all moonshine!" retorted his wife.
"You've taken me in shameful!"
"And you've done the same to me!"
"You're——" cried Frank, nearly suffocated with rage.
"And so are you, whatever you're going to call me!" vociferated the late Mrs. Goldberry.