"And so, dear Aunt, here I stay until I can return to you feeling that I have achieved something worthy my sex and name." "Peregrine, come with me--I command you!" "Then, dearest Aunt, with all the humility possible, I fear I must disobey you." My aunt Julia drew herself to her stately height, setting her indomitable chin at me, and into her eyes came that coercive expression which resurrected the memory of childish sins of omission and commission, an expression before which my new-found hardihood wilted and drooped; but in this desperate moment I glanced at Diana, and, meeting the calm serenity of her untroubled gaze, I folded my arms and, bowing my head, awaited the deluge with what fortitude I might and, in the awful stillness, heard uncle George's spurs jingle distressfully. "You mean that--you--will--not--come?" she demanded. "I do, dear Aunt." "That you actually--disobey me?" "Dear Aunt--I do!" "Pray, who is the young person I notice behind you?" "Person, Aunt?" "The young woman--the wild, gipsy-looking creature." "Ah, pray forgive me--I should have introduced you before. Diana, this is my aunt, Lady Julia Conroy--Aunt, this is my friend Diana." "And pray what is she doing here?" "She is about to cook a steak and onions--" "Do you mean--O pitiful heaven--that she is--living here with--" "With Jeremy Jarvis, a tinker, Jessamy Todd, a champion pugilist, and myself." "Shocking!" exclaimed my aunt, sweeping Diana with the fire of her disparaging regard. "Moreover, dear Aunt," I continued, stung by something in her attitude, "it is my hope to make myself sufficiently worthy to win Diana in--in marriage!" "Marriage?" repeated my aunt in a hoarse whisper. "I dream! Marriage? With a wild woman! George! Jervas!" she gasped in strange, breathless fashion. "Our poor boy is either mad--or worse, and whichever it prove, it is all your doing! I hope, I sincerely hope, you are satisfied with your handiwork! As for you, you poor young woman," she continued, turning on Diana in passionate appeal, "if my nephew is mad, be you sane enough to know that such a marriage would drag him to perdition and bring you only misery and shame in the long run. Give up my poor, distracted nephew and I will be your friend. If it is money you require--" Diana laughed: