"Be quiet, Camille, I tell you! I will not allow such language!"

"But I won't be quiet when you do all you can to wound me. If it's wrong
of me to dress like an old woman, perhaps another is rather ridiculous in
dressing like a girl, like a bride."

"Like a bride? I don't understand you."

"Oh! yes, you do. However, I would have you know that everybody doesn't
find me so ugly as you try to make them believe."

"If you look amiss, it is because you don't dress properly; that is all I
said."

"I dress as I please, and no doubt I do so well enough, since I'm loved
as I am."

"What, really! Does someone love you? Well, let him inform us of it and
marry you."

"Yes--certainly, certainly! It will be a good riddance, won't it? And
you'll have the pleasure of seeing me as a bride!"

Their voices were rising in spite of their efforts to restrain them.
However, Camille paused and drew breath before hissing out the words:
"Gerard is coming here to ask for my hand in a day or two."

Eve, livid, with wildly staring eyes, did not seem to understand.
"Gerard? why do you tell me that?"