"I will do it myself," said Lavinia. So the General retired and the Commodore was sent for. When he had joined them, Mr. Barnum began by saying, "Commodore, do you know what this little witch has been doing?" "No, I don't," he answered. "Well, she has been cutting up the greatest prank you ever heard of. She almost deserves to be shut up for daring to do it. Can't you guess what it is?" He mused a moment, and then said in a low tone, and looking full at her, "Engaged?" "Yes," said Barnum, "actually engaged to be married to General Tom Thumb. Did you ever hear of such a thing?" "Is it so, Lavinia?" he asked, earnestly. "Yes," said Lavinia, "it is really so." The Commodore turned pale, choked a little, and turning on his heel, he said, in a broken voice: "I hope you may be happy." As he passed out the door a tear rolled down his cheek. "That's pretty hard," said Barnum. "Yes it is hard," said Lavinia, "and I am very sorry. Only I couldn't help it. It was all the fault of your emerald and diamond ring." Half an hour later the Commodore returned to the office and said: "Mr. Barnum do you think it would be right for Miss Warren to marry Charlie Stratton if her mother should object?" "No, indeed," replied Mr. Barnum. "Well, she says she will marry him anyway; that she gives her mother the chance to consent, but if she objects, she will have her way and marry him." "On the contrary," said Barnum, "I will not permit it. She is engaged to go to Europe with me, and I will not release her if her mother does not consent to her marriage." The Commodore's eyes glistened, and he said: "Between you and me, Mr. Barnum, I don't believe she will consent." But she did, although at first she had objected, thinking that it might be merely a money-making scheme; but after she read Tom Thumb's letter, and heard Mr. Barnum's assurance that he would release her from her engagement with him, in event of the marriage, she consented. After the Commodore heard the news Mr. Barnum said to him: "Never mind, Commodore; Minnie Warren is a better match for you anyhow. She is two years younger than you, and Lavinia is older." But the Commodore replied grandly; "Thank you sir, but I would not marry the best woman living. I don't believe in women." Barnum then suggested that he stand with Minnie, as groom and bridesmaid, but he declined. A few weeks later, however, he told Barnum that Tom Thumb had asked him to stand with Minnie, and that he was going to do so. "And when I asked you, you refused," said Barnum. "It was not your business to ask me," said the Commodore pompously, "when the proper person asked me, I accepted."