sir!  I ask you.  You must confess that a gallant officer and great admirer of the sex does not look such a donkey if he is led in silken strings by a beautiful creature.  And mark—­stop! mark this, Dr. Shrapnel:  I say, to the lady we can all excuse a good deal, and at the same time you are to be congratulated on first-rate diplomacy in employing so charming an agent.  I wish, I really wish you did it generally, I assure you:  only, mark this—­I do beg you to contain yourself for a minute, if possible—­I say, my cousin Captain Beauchamp is fair game to hunt, and there is no law to prevent the chase, only you must not expect us to be quiet spectators of your sport; and we have, I say, undoubtedly a right to lay the case before the lady, and induce her to be a peace-agent in the family if we can.  Very well.’

‘This garden is redolent of a lady’s hand,’ sighed Palmet, poetical in his dejection.

‘Have you taken too much wine, gentlemen?’ said Dr. Shrapnel.

Cecil put this impertinence aside with a graceful sweep of his fingers.  ‘You attempt to elude me, sir.’

‘Not I!  You mention some lady.’

‘Exactly.  A young lady.’

‘What is the name of the lady?’

’Oh!  You ask the name of the lady.  And I too.  What is it?  I have heard two or three names.’

‘Then you have heard villanies.’

‘Denham, Jenny Denham, Miss Jenny Denham,’ said Palmet, rejoiced at the opportunity of trumpeting her name so that she should not fail to hear it.

‘I stake my reputation I have heard her called Shrapnel—­Miss Shrapnel,’ said Cecil.

The doctor glanced hastily from one to the other of his visitors.  ’The young lady is my ward; I am her guardian,’ he said.

Cecil pursed his mouth.  ‘I have heard her called your niece.’

’Niece—­ward; she is a lady by birth and education, in manners, accomplishments, and character; and she is under my protection,’ cried Dr. Shrapnel.

Cecil bowed.  ’So you are for gentle birth?  I forgot you are for morality too, and for praying; exactly; I recollect.  But now let me tell you, entirely with the object of conciliation, my particular desire is to see the young lady, in your presence of course, and endeavour to persuade her, as I have very little doubt I shall do, assuming that you give me fair play, to exercise her influence, on this occasion contrary to yours, and save my cousin Captain Beauchamp from a fresh misunderstanding with his uncle Mr. Romfrey.  Now, sir; now, there!’

‘You will not see Miss Denham with my sanction ever,’ said Dr. Shrapnel.

’Oh!  Then I perceive your policy.  Mark, sir, my assumption was that the young lady would, on hearing my representations, exert herself to heal the breach between Captain Beauchamp and his family.  You stand in the way.  You treat me as you treated the lady who came here formerly to wrest your dupe from your clutches.  If I mistake not, she saw the young lady you acknowledge to be your ward.’