Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/104

 "But, madam, I do not intend to escape them," he replied.

This startled and annoyed me, and promptly did I show him my displeasure.

"Nay, madam," he said, "you have risked too much on my account already. I repeat, it was to lessen your culpability that I am come back to prison. Therefore, can you suppose that I will allow you to farther incriminate yourself?"

"Bah!" says I, "you had not these scruples formerly."

"No," says he, "and it is my shame. I was unthoughtful."

"And do you suppose," says I, "that if so much as my little finger were endangered in your service, that I would risk it?"

"You would," says he, "for your high temper is writ upon your face. If my shoe required buckling, and she who buckled it did so at the peril of her neck, you would attempt the deed if you had the inclination. Ha! madam, I think I can read your wilfulness."

For the moment I was baffled, as I had to admit that he read it very well.

"The danger," I rejoined, "is quite nothing, I am certain. My papa, the Earl, hath a great interest with the Government. He can turn it round his little finger."

"Can he so?" says he. "Then let him procure my pardon, for I would not willingly risk again the safety of his daughter."