an; but
still so as to prevent Frank from attempting to interfere personally.

"No doubt the man is a brute," she had said, "if a young lady,
without ceasing to be ladylike, may so describe so elegant a
gentleman. If not so, still he is a brute, because I can't declare
otherwise, even for the sake of being ladylike. But what you say
about coming is out of the question. You can't meddle with my affairs
till you've a title to meddle. Now, you know the truth. I'm going to
stick to you, and I expect you to stick to me. For certain paternal
reasons you want to put the marriage off. Very well. I'm agreeable,
as the folks say. If you would say that you would be ready to marry
me on the first of April, again I should be agreeable. You can
nowhere find a more agreeable young woman than I am. But I must be
one thing or the other."

Then he wrote to her the sort of love-letter which the reader can
understand. It was full of kisses and vows and ecstatic hopes but did
not name a day. In fact Mr. Jones, in the middle of his troubles, was
unable to promise an immediate union, and did not choose that his son
should marry in order that he might be supported by a singing girl.
But to this letter Frank added a request--or rather a command--that
he should be allowed to come over at once and see Mr. Mahomet. It was
no doubt true that his father was, for the minute, a little backward
in the matter of his income; but still he wanted to look after
Mahomet, and he wanted to be kissed.

You must not come at all, and I won't even see you if you
do. You men are always so weak, and want such a lot of
petting. Mahomet tried to kiss me last night when I was
singing to him before going to dress. I have to practise
with him. I gave him such a blow in the face that I don't
think he'll repeat the experiment, and I had my eyes about
me. You needn't be at all afraid of me but what I am
quick enough. He was startled at the moment, and I merely
laughed. I'm not going to give up L100 a month because
he makes a beast of himself; and I'm not going to call
in father as long as I can help it; nor do I mean to call
in your royal highness at all. I tell everybody that I'm
going to marry your royal highness, king Jones; there
isn't a bit of a secret about it. I talk of my Mr. Jones
just as if we were married, because it all comes easier to
me in that way. You will see that I absolutely believe in
you and I e