hat have been a parent to her, she
charges with bad motives!"

"_Bad_ motives I did not say."

"And now you prevaricate; you have no principles!"

"Uncle, you tire me. I want to go away."

"Go you shall not! I will be answered. What are your intentions, Miss
Keeldar?"

"In what respect?"

"In respect of matrimony?"

"To be quiet, and to do just as I please."

"Just as you please! The words are to the last degree indecorous."

"Mr. Sympson, I advise you not to become insulting. You know I will not
bear that."

"You read French. Your mind is poisoned with French novels. You have
imbibed French principles."

"The ground you are treading now returns a mighty hollow sound under
your feet. Beware!"

"It will end in infamy, sooner or later. I have foreseen it all along."

"Do you assert, sir, that something in which _I_ am concerned will end
in infamy?"

"That it will--that it will. You said just now you would act as you
please. You acknowledge no rules--no limitations."

"Silly stuff, and vulgar as silly!"

"Regardless of decorum, you are prepared to fly in the face of
propriety."

"You tire me, uncle."

"What, madam--_what_ could be your reasons for refusing Sir Philip?"

"At last there is another sensible question; I shall be glad to reply to
it. Sir Philip is too young for me. I regard him as a boy. All his
relations--his mother especially--would be annoyed if he married me.
Such a step would embroil him with them. I am not his equal in the
world's estimation."

"Is that all?"

"Our dispositions are not compatible."

"Why, a more amiable gentleman never breathed."

"He is very amiable--very excellent--truly estimable; but _not my
master_--not in one point. I could not trust myself with his happiness.
I would not undertake the keeping of it for thousands. I will accept no
hand which cannot hold me in check."

"I thought you liked to do as you please. You are vastly inconsistent."

"When I promise to obey, it shall be under the conviction that I can
keep that promise. I could not obey a youth like Sir Philip. Besides, he
would never command me. He would expect me always to rule--to guide--and
I have no taste whatever for the office."

"_You_ no taste for swaggering, and subduing, and ordering, and ruling?"

"Not my husband; only my uncle."

"Where is the difference?"

"There _is_ a slight difference--that is certain. And I know full well
any man who wishes to live in decent comfort wit