"Blanche, be civil! Most assuredly I will marry her if she will marry me."
"Then you will repent it all the days of your life."
"Probably. I think I heard Miss Dane making a similar remark to your affianced about you."
"The impertinent little wretch! Let her wait until I am Mr. Walraven's wife!"
"Vague and terrible! When is it to be?"
"The wedding? Next month."
"Poor Walraven! There, Blanche, don't flash up, pray! When you are married you will want to get blue-eyed Mollie off your hands, so please transfer her to me, little flash of lightning that she is! I always did like unbroken colts for the pleasure of taming them."
Mrs. Walraven was told of her son's approaching marriage the day after the dinner-party; disapproved, but said nothing. Mollie disapproved, and said everything.
"It's of no use talking now, Mollie!" her guardian exclaimed, impatiently. "I must and will marry Blanche."
"And, oh! what a pitiable object you will be twelve months after! But I'll never desert you—never strike my flag to the conqueress. 'The boy stood on the burning deck.' I'll be a second Casi—what you may call him? to you. I'll be bride-maid now, and your protector from the lovely Blanche in the future."