"Hang you—now you're attempting to dictate—damnation, sir!"
"No, sir, I'm not. I want a chance, that's all. Your daughter—loves me, sir. You wouldn't break her heart?"
This was only adding fuel to the fire.
"Loves you? Break her heart? My God, but you—you have the most colossal impertinence I ever beheld!"
"It's true, sir. She's told you so herself."
"Pah!" the old man snarled. "She's a child—a child! A mere infatuation! A mere infatuation! Puppy-love, sir, puppy-love. You sweep her off her feet, swaggering about in your wretched red coat——"
"Wretched red coat, sir? The Queen's uniform, don't forget—the uniform you wore!"
The blow went home. The major mumbled.
"Well, in any case," he resumed at length, "it's a mere infatuation! As soon as you're gone, she'll forget all about you!"
Malicious vindictiveness inspired him.