"The young woman—the wild, gipsy-looking creature."
"Ah, pray forgive me—I should have introduced you before. Diana, this is my aunt, Lady Julia Conroy—Aunt, this is my friend Diana."
"And pray what is she doing here?"
"She is about to cook a steak and onions—"
"Do you mean—O pitiful heaven—that she is—living here with—"
"With Jeremy Jarvis, a tinker, Jessamy Todd, a champion pugilist, and myself."
"Shocking!" exclaimed my aunt, sweeping Diana with the fire of her disparaging regard.
"Moreover, dear Aunt," I continued, stung by something in her attitude, "it is my hope to make myself sufficiently worthy to win Diana in—in marriage!"
"Marriage?" repeated my aunt in a hoarse whisper. "I dream! Marriage? With a wild woman! George! Jervas!" she gasped in strange, breathless fashion. "Our poor boy is either mad—or worse, and whichever it prove, it is all your doing! I hope, I sincerely hope, you are satisfied with your handiwork! As for you, you poor young woman," she continued, turning on Diana in passionate appeal, "if my nephew is mad, be you sane enough to know that such a marriage would drag him to perdition and bring you only misery and shame in the long run. Give up my poor, distracted nephew and I will be your friend. If it is money you require—"
Diana laughed: