, true, Mistress Deborah," continued Julian; "but all the world
hath not your discretion. Then Alice Bridgenorth is a child--a mere
child; and one always asks a baby to be one's little wife, you know.
Come, I know you will forgive me. Thou wert ever the best-natured,
kindest woman in the world; and you know you have said twenty times we
were made for each other."

"Oh no, Master Julian Peveril; no, no, no!" ejaculated Deborah. "I may
indeed have said your estates were born to be united; and to be sure it
is natural for me, that come of the old stock of the yeomanry of Peveril
of the Peak's estate, to wish that it was all within the ring
fence again; which sure enough it might be, were you to marry Alice
Bridgenorth. But then there is the knight your father, and my lady your
mother; and there is her father, that is half crazy with his religion;
and her aunt that wears eternal black grogram for that unlucky Colonel
Christian; and there is the Countess of Derby, that would serve us all
with the same sauce if we were thinking of anything that would displease
her. And besides all that, you have broke your word with Mistress Alice,
and everything is over between you; and I am of opinion it is quite
right it should be all over. And perhaps it may be, Master Julian, that
I should have thought so a long time ago, before a child like Alice put
it into my head; but I am so good-natured."

No flatterer like a lover, who wishes to carry his point.

"You are the best-natured, kindest creature in the world, Deborah.--But
you have never seen the ring I bought for you at Paris. Nay, I will
put it on your finger myself;--what! your foster-son, whom you loved so
well, and took such care of?"

He easily succeeded in putting a pretty ring of gold, with a humorous
affectation of gallantry, on the fat finger of Mistress Deborah
Debbitch. Hers was a soul of a kind often to be met with, both among
the lower and higher vulgar, who, without being, on a broad scale,
accessible to bribes or corruption, are nevertheless much attached to
perquisites, and considerably biassed in their line of duty, though
perhaps insensibly, by the love of petty observances, petty presents,
and trivial compliments. Mistress Debbitch turned the ring round, and
round, and round, and at length said, in a whisper, "Well, Master Julian
Peveril, it signifies nothing denying anything to such a young gentleman
as you, for young gentlemen are always so obstinate! and so I m