’It’s because you know her that I’ve come to you.  She thinks that you’re after her.’  Dolly as he said this lifted himself quickly up in his seat, and nodded his head mysteriously as he looked into his companion’s face.  It was as much as though he should say, ’I see you are surprised, but so it is.’  Then he went on.  ’She does, pert poppet!’ This was almost too much for Silverbridge; but still he contained himself.  ’She won’t look at me because she has got it into her head that perhaps some day she may become Duchess of Omnium!  That of course is out of the question.’

’Upon my word all this seems to me to be so very—­very,—­distasteful that I think you had better say nothing more about it.’

‘It is distasteful,’ said Dolly; ’but in truth I am so downright,—­ what you may call enamoured—­’

‘Don’t talk such stuff as that here,’ said Silverbridge, jumping up.  ‘I won’t have it.’

’But I am.  There is nothing I wouldn’t do to get her.  Of course it’s a good match for her.  I’ve got three separate properties; and when the governor goes off I shall have a clear fifteen thousand a year.’

‘Oh, bother!’

’Of course that’s nothing to you, but it is a very tidy income for a commoner.  And how is she to do better?’

‘I don’t know how she could do much worse,’ said Silverbridge in a transport of rage.  Then he pulled his moustache in vexation, angry with himself that he should have allowed himself to say even a word on so preposterous a supposition.  Isabel Boncassen and Dolly Longstaff!  It was Titania and Bottom over again.  It was absolutely necessary that he should get rid of this intruder, and he began to be afraid that he could not do this without using language which would have been uncivil.  ‘Upon my word,’ he said, ’I think you had better not talk about it any more.  The young lady is one for whom I have a very great respect.’

‘I mean to marry her,’ said Dolly, thinking to vindicate himself.

‘You might as well think of marrying one of the stars.’

‘One of the stars!’

‘Or a royal princess.’

’Well!  Perhaps that is your opinion, but I can’t say that I agree with you.  I don’t see why she shouldn’t take me.  I can give her a position which you may call A1 out of the Peerage.  I can bring her into society.  I can make an English lady of her.’

’You can’t make anything of her,—­except to insult her,—­and me too by talking of her.’

‘I don’t quite understand this,’ said the unfortunate lover getting up from his seat.  ’Very likely she won’t have me.  Perhaps she has told you so.’

’She never mentioned your name to me in her life.  I don’t suppose she remembers your existence.’

’But I say that there can be no insult in such a one as me asking such a one as her to be my wife.  To say that she doesn’t remember my existence is absurd.’

‘Why should I be troubled with all this?’