there's no knowin' an' there's no tellin'. P'raps you've managed to
throw dust in her eyes.'

'I have thrown nothing--I mean, Miss Warrington and I are only slightly
acquainted with each other. I have, indeed, barely noticed her. And
now you tell me this horrible thing.'

She bridled. 'Wot's 'orrible about it? You ought to be glad. Most
men would be proud to marry a young lady 'oo's got such a light 'and
for pastry, and can mend up an old pair o' pants to make 'em look like
new. She's just the sort of wife----'

[Illustration: 'Wot's 'orrible about it?']

'"Wife,"' I interrupted, '"marry"? What do you mean by those words,
girl? Do you think for one instant if all the females in Christendom
were to fall in love with me I would _marry_ any one of them! No, a
thousand times, no. I repeat I will never, _never_ marry.'

'I 'eard yer,' said Elizabeth, 'and do you sit there and mean to tell
me that you're going to break a gentle woman's 'eart deliberate?'

The imputation caused me to shudder from head to foot. 'No, no,
Elizabeth. If I have unwittingly caused the lady pain I am deeply
remorseful. But she must, as soon as possible, be disillusioned.'

'Dish-who?' said Elizabeth. In this peculiar and baffling way does
she express herself. It makes a sustained conversation extremely
difficult and, at times, almost impossible.