"Oh!" wailed Dolly suddenly—no longer pretending; and I caught the note in her voice for which I had been waiting. I dropped the lantern; the horses plunged violently at the flare and the crash; but I cared nothing for that. I dragged furiously on the bridle; and as the horses swung together, I caught her round the shoulders, and kissed her fiercely on the cheek. She clung to me, weeping.
CHAPTER V
Well; I had beaten her at last; and in the only way in which she would yield. Weakness was of no use with her, nor gentleness, nor even that lofty patronage which, poor fool! I had shewn her in the parlour at Hare Street. She must be man's mate—which is certainly a rather savage relation at bottom—not merely his pretty and grateful wife. This I learned from her, as we rode onwards and up into the high road—(where, I may say in passing, there was no sign of our party)—though she did not know she was telling it me.
"Oh! Roger," she said. "And I thought you were a—a pussy-cat."
"That is the second time I have been told so in two days," I said.
"Who told you so?"
"His Majesty."
"I thought His Majesty was wiser," said she.
"He has been pretty wise, though," I said. "If it were not for him, we should not be riding here together."
"I suppose you made him do that too," she said.