"Oh, damnation--this is awful!" exclaimed my uncle, his handsome face looking strangely haggard. "Day and night in your delirium you have lain cursing Diana and with Diana's hand upon your brow and Diana's tears wetting your pillow--and now--O Peregrine, lad, tell me you don't mean it--that you are a little fevered, yes--yes, people at such times often turn against those they most love--will kill Diana else--" "Or she me, sir--so keep her away--don't let her touch me--I'll not see her, I say--I'll not, by God--I'll not--" "Hush--hush! Don't scream, lad, don't scream!" He was on his knees, had clasped my trembling weakness in his great arms and was soothing me, and I weeping for my very impotence, when the door opened and Aunt Julia appeared. "Dear Heaven!" she cried, bending above me. "What have you done, George? What have you done to him?" "O Aunt!" I cried. "Dear Aunt Julia, don't let her touch me again--don't let her come near me or I shall go mad--" "No, no, my loved Perry, no one shall tend you but myself--there, dear boy, be comforted! O George, don't stand gaping--give me the draught yonder--quick!" "Promise me, Aunt--swear she shall not approach me again! "I swear it, dear Peregrine. Come, drink--" CHAPTER VII CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze. "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?" "I do, sir." "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?" "Sir--I cannot," I answered, and shivered slightly. "Do you feel the air too much, Peregrine?" "Thank you, no, sir. But the topic naturally distresses me!" "Strange," said my uncle Jervas musingly, "very strange that I should be pleading your gipsy's suit and find you so coldly, mercilessly determined to make that pleading vain! You are as stubborn as a Vereker and I think a trifle more merciless. Doubtless the reasons for your so sudden change are sufficient unto yourself, but to your friends they are profoundly incomprehensible, nor would I seek to probe the mystery; you are your own master and judge, and Diana is rich, has London at her feet, and may wed whomsoever she will, and small wonder! Indeed, with one exception, she is the most bewilderingly attractive and altogether beautiful woman I have ever had the happiness to know. So here's an end of the matter, once and for all. It is a painful topic, as you say; let us talk of other things--yourself, for instance. You will be up and about again soon, what do you propose to do with yourself, Peregrine? Now there is your friend Vere-Manville playing the devil about town--has not been entirely sober for a fortnight, I hear--I saw him myself, twice, very blatantly drunk--"