"Nothing!" she answered, shaking her head. "You wouldn't never understand. But I'll go along wi' you to Tonbridge." "Very well!" said I. "And on the way, if you'll allow me, I'll teach you to speak more correctly and to behave with a--a little more--feminine restraint--" "Oh--and why should I?" she demanded, cheeks flushed and proud head aloft. "Because," I answered, struck anew by her beauty, "though you look like a goddess you speak and act like a--like--" "A what? And--be careful!" she warned. "I don't know." "Come, speak out!" "Indeed, I can think of no just parallel; you are like no one I ever saw or heard. But your speech and actions often do not match your looks." "And your looks don't match your words or actions!" she retorted, "you speak s' very grand and look s' very--s' very--" "What?" I questioned anxiously. "I don't know. 'T isn't a scarecrow--scarecrow's clothes fits better--but you looks an' acts like nobody as ever I see afore." "At the very first opportunity I will certainly purchase better garments!" quoth I, scowling down at the noxious things that covered me. "With no money?" she scoffed. "I have my watch!" quoth I. "They'll think as you prigs it and hand you over to the narks an' queer cuffins--" "That sounds very terrible; what do you mean?" "I means the _plastramengroes_." "What in the world is that?" said I. "Oh, _Kooshti duvvel_!" she exclaimed. "You don't know nothin'; you're what they calls a _rye_, ain't you?" "Pray, what is a rye?" I enquired, a little diffidently. "A _gorgio_ gentleman," she explained patiently. "What should give you that impression?" "You're s' different to the 'Folk'--or any of the padding kind." "Yes, I suppose I am--despite my clothes!" "Your speech is soft an' your ways are softer, but you have a high an' mighty look about ye at times--although you're so precious green." "Green?" "As grass!" she nodded, "Very green--like your name." "My name is Peregrine, as you know." "But t' other suits ye best!" "You grow more unkind, Diana!" "You're a scholar too, o' course?" "I have received a somewhat careful education." "What d'ye know?" "Well, I am fairly conversant with Greek and Latin, though a trifle shaky on the higher mathematics, I fear." "You've read lots an' lots o' books?" "I have." "And you're nineteen years old?" "True!"