The lovely bride of Tinkling echoed the incredible declaration.
The two warriors exchanged stony glances.

'If,' said the bride of the pirate-colonel, 'grown-up people WON'T
do what they ought to do, and WILL put us out, what comes of our
pretending?'

'We only get into scrapes,' said the bride of Tinkling.

'You know very well,' pursued the colonel's bride, 'that Miss
Drowvey wouldn't fall. You complained of it yourself. And you
know how disgracefully the court-martial ended. As to our
marriage; would my people acknowledge it at home?'

'Or would my people acknowledge ours?' said the bride of Tinkling.

Again the two warriors exchanged stony glances.

'If you knocked at the door and claimed me, after you were told to
go away,' said the colonel's bride, 'you would only have your hair
pulled, or your ears, or your nose.'

'If you persisted in ringing at the bell and claiming me,' said the
bride of Tinkling to that gentleman, 'you would have things dropped
on your head from the window over the handle, or you would be
played upon by the garden-engine.'

'And at your own homes,' resumed the bride of the colonel, 'it
would be just as bad. You would be sent to bed, or something
equally undignified. Again, how would you support us?'