The man
I do not feel interest enough in to abuse even. He is a nobody."
"That only proves you do not know him: you would not speak so if you
did," said Hester, widening the space between her and the major, and
ready to choke with what in utterance took such gentle form.
"I am confident I should have worse to say if I knew him better. It is
you who do not know him. It astonishes me that sensible people like your
father and mother should let a fellow like that come prowling after
you!"
"Major Marvel, if you are going to abuse my father and mother as well as
lord Gartley,--" cried Hester, but he interrupted her.
"Ah, there it is!" exclaimed he bitterly. "Lord Gartley!--I have no
business to interfere--no more than your gardener or coachman! but to
think of an angel like you in the arms of a----"
"Major Marvel!"
--"I beg ten thousand pardons, cousin Hester! but I am so damnably in
earnest I can't pick and choose my phrases. Believe me the man is not
worthy of you."
"What have you got against him?--I do hate backbiting! As his friend I
ask you what you have against him."
"That's the pity of it! I can't tell you anything very bad of him.
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