Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 2.djvu/78

 Princess Casamassima, thanks to you. When you came and begged me, when you dragged me, do you make it a reproach? Who the devil are you, any way, and what do you want of me?' our hero cried—his mind flooded in a moment with everything in the Captain that had puzzled and eluded him. This swelling tide obliterated on the spot everything that had entertained and gratified him.

'My dear fellow, whatever I am, I am not an ass,' this gentleman replied, with imperturbable good-humour. 'I don't reproach you with anything. I only wanted to put in a word as a peacemaker. My good friends—my good friends,' and he laid a hand, in his practised way, on Hyacinth's shoulder, while, with the other pressed to his heart, he bent on the girl a face of gallantry which had something paternal in it, 'I am determined this absurd misunderstanding shall end as lovers' quarrels ought always to end.'

Hyacinth withdrew himself from the Captain's touch and said to Millicent, 'You are not really jealous of—of any one. You pretend that, only to throw dust in my eyes.'

To this sally Miss Henning returned him an answer which promised to be lively, but the Captain swept it away in the profusion of his protests. He pronounced them a dear delightful, abominable young couple; he declared it was most interesting to see how, in people of their sort, the passions lay near the surface; he almost pushed them into each other's arms; and he wound up by proposing that they should all terminate their little differences by proceeding together to the Pavilion music-hall, the nearest place of entertainment in that neighbourhood, leaving the