‘Will Will!’ said Clara, looking at him with imploring eyes.

’Then he shouldn’t talk to me about getting out of bed on the wrong side; I didn’t say anything to him.’

’It is unkind of you, Will, to quarrel with Captain Aylmer because he is my friend.’

’I don’t want to quarrel with him; or, rather, as I won’t quarrel with him because you don’t wish it, I’ll go away.  I can’t do more than that.  I didn’t want to dine with him here.  There’s my cousin Clara, Captain Aylmer; I love her better than all the world besides.  Love her!  It seems to me that there’s nothing else in the world for me to love.  I’d give my heart for her this minute.  All that I have in the world is hers.  Oh love her!  I don’t believe that it’s in you to know what I mean when I say that I love her!  She tells me that he’s going to be your wife.  You can’t suppose that I can be very comfortable under those circumstances or that I can be very fond of you.  I’m not very fond of you.  Now I’ll go away, and then I shan’t trouble you any more.  But look here if ever you should ill-treat her, whether you marry her or whether you don’t, I’ll crush every bone in your skin.’  Having so spoken he went to the door, but stopped himself before he left the room.  ’Good-bye, Clara.  I’ve got a word or two more to say to you, but I’ll write you a line down-stairs.  You can show it to him if you please.  It’ll only be about business.  Good-night.’

She had got up and followed him to the door, and he had taken her by the hand.  ’You shouldn’t let your passion get the better of you in this way,’ she said; but the tone of her voice was very soft, and her eyes were full of love.

‘I suppose not,’ said he.

‘I can forgive him,’ said Captain Aylmer.

‘D your forgiveness,’ said Will Belton.  Then Clara dropped the hand and started back, and the door was shut, and Will Belton was gone.

‘Your cousin seems to be a nice sort of young man,’ said Aylmer.

‘Cannot you understand it all, Frederic, and pardon him?’

’I can pardon him easily enough; but one doesn’t like men who are given to threatening.  He’s not the sort of man that I took him to be.’

‘Upon my word I think he’s as nearly perfect as a man can be.’

’Then you like men to swear at you, and to swagger like Bobadils and to misbehave themselves, so that one has to blush for them if a servant chances to hear them.  Do you really think that he has conducted himself today like a gentleman?’

‘I know that he is a gentleman,’ said Clara.

’I must confess I have no reason for supposing him to be so but your assurance.’

‘And I hope that is sufficient, Frederic.’

Captain Aylmer did not answer her at once, but sat for awhile silent, considering what he would say.  Clara, who understood his moods, knew that he did not mean to drop the subject, and resolved that she would defend her cousin, let Captain Aylmer attack him as he would.