“Now, Rosamund,” said D’Arcy, turning to me and speaking very determinedly, “listen to reason and be a sensible girl. _You have lost Felix._ You are not so mad, I suppose, as to imagine he will have anything further to do with you after this. You lead a miserable life at the castle, and it will be still more miserable to go back there now, for Felix will never visit you any more. Neither will I come there after you again. I have had enough of it, I want something better. So if you go back, you go back to be absolutely alone with a madman and his keeper. Mark my words: your uncle is not, and never will be cured. At his best, he’s as mad as a hatter. And he’s liable to these attacks of violent madness which make him absolutely dangerous. Matthew keeps it dark, but it is not the first time your uncle has had to go to the asylum by any means. He’ll break out again as sure as my name is Leigh, perhaps next time without any warning. That happened once, so may well happen again. There’s no method in his madness: a thoroughly unreliable madman, my friend on the common calls him. So that’s the companion you will go home to. “Now I have it in my power to offer you a very happy life. I love you, and I want you to be my wife. You are just fitted for a London life, and with your beauty and originality might make a perfect furore. Now, will you accept what I offer you and marry me? You have only to say ‘yes,’ and I will take you straight to my sister who will act as chaperon until we can be married: She is a good-natured girl, and will be glad to oblige me, for many reasons. Now say, will you marry me? I’ll be awfully kind to you, Rosamund. After all, you’d have had a slow time of it with that impecunious Felix.” I had been listening in a dull, stunned way to this speech, but at his last words an hysterical passion of anger awoke within me. “Marry you! Never! I would rather die,” I cried. “I know you at last for what you are, a wicked, plotting fiend!” “Now, now! No nonsense,” said D’Arcy angrily. “Remember, Rosamund, you are very much in my power. You don’t know where you are, night is coming on, it is raining faster every minute, and you can’t find your way out of this place, or get a cab, without me. So give me a kind answer, and let me take you off to my sister’s. Come, child, don’t be foolish, we can’t stand here an hour, getting drenched. Be nice, I’ve loved you a long time, and been your most devoted slave, I am sure. Give me a kiss, and say you’ll come.” “Never! Keep off! How dare you?” I cried, trembling with mingled fear and anger. “You needn’t be so very particular. I’ll be bound you’ve kissed Felix hundreds of times.” “Felix! Yes. But you—you!!” Words failed me. I could find none that would express my detestation of him.