"Anthony," quoth I, "she is the bravest, noblest, purest maid that ever taught a man to be better!" "She is, Peregrine!" "They are, Anthony!" "For one frightful moment I thought she--was killed, Perry!" "But God is good and--Diana was there, Anthony." "A wonderful creature, your Diana, Perry, as capable as she is handsome!" "She is beyond all description, Anthony!" "Yes, I can find no word for Barbara, damme!" Now as he looked down on me, his handsome face radiant, his powerful form set off by the most elegant attire, I could not but contrast him with the forlorn, down-at-heels outcast he had been. "It seems I have much to congratulate you upon," said I. "God, yes, Peregrine! And I owe you a guinea--here it is! My curmudgeonly uncle (Heaven rest him!) had the kindness to choke himself to death in a fit of passion. And to-day, Perry, to-day--we gave 'the Gorgon' the slip (Barbara's aunt)--got married and are now on our way to outface her father--a regular Tartar by all accounts--and there's the situation in a word." "You haven't lost much time, Anthony." "Nor have you for that matter, Perry. And I've ten thousand things to tell you, and questions to ask you and--Ha, thank God, she's on her feet! Look at 'em--did ever mortal eyes behold two lovelier creatures?" And away he strode impetuous towards where they stood, the dark and the fair, with arms entwined, viewing each other's beauteousness glad-eyed. "My brave girl! How are you now?" "Better--oh, much better, dear Anthony, though I fear I cannot ride--" "Not to be thought of, my sweet--Gad, no--not for a moment!" "Diana has offered to drive me in the cart, Anthony." "Excellent! We can hire a chaise at Hadlow!" So very soon, behold us jolting along in the Tinker's cart very merrily, Anthony and I perched upon the tailboard, the two horses trotting behind a little disdainfully, as it seemed to me, judging by the flirting of their tails, head-shakings and repeated snorts. "And what might you be doing now, Perry?" enquired my companion, swinging his long, booted legs and stealing a backward glance at his fair, young wife seated on the driving seat beside Diana. "Isn't she perfectly wonderful?" he murmured. "She is!" I answered. "Her hair," he sighed; "her hair, you'll notice, is--" "The most glorious in all the world!" quoth I. "Absolutely, Perry! Beyond all doubt--" "Though it is not really black, Anthony--" "Black!" he exclaimed, turning on me with a sort of leap. "No, not black, Anthony, sometimes it seems full of small fires--" Now at this he laughed and I laughed, all unheeded by the two upon the driving seat who talked softly and questioned each other with their lovely faces very close together, while Diogenes the knowing slowed to his meditative amble. "You must forgive me, Perry, I--I've only been a Benedict since two o'clock. But tell me of yourself; what you are doing, how you live and where?"