"Nay, nay, my lord," urged Lilian, struggling to be free, and becoming excessively frightened.
"By every sparkle of those beautiful eyes, and the amiable vivacity that illumines them," continued his lordship, making a theatrical attempt to embrace her,--"suffer me to implore----"
"Help! help, for God's sake!" exclaimed Lilian. "My Lord, this insolence shall not pass unpunished."
"Death and the devil! Dost mock me, little one? Is it insolence thus to fall at your feet?--thus to pour forth my soul in rapture, where a king might be proud to kneel?"
"My Lord, you are the strangest mixture of pride, presumption, and absurdity in all broad Scotland," said Lilian, spiritedly. "I command you to unhand me, and to remember that there is a pit under the house where much hotter spirits than yours have learned to become cool and respectful."
"The pretty moppet is quite in a passion. My dear Lilian, why so cruel? Am I indeed so hateful that you despise me?"
"O, no," said she, gently, touched with his tone, for his voice was very persuasive, and his presence was surpassingly noble. "I cannot hate one who has never wronged me; and I dare not despise aught that God has made."
"Then you only respect me the same as the cows in yonder park?"
"Heaven forbid, my Lord, I should rate you so low!"
"Joy! beautiful Lilian. I now perceive that you do love me; and that coy diffidence alone prevents you revealing the sentiments of your heart." And throwing his arms around her, he embraced her, despite all her struggles, and though the girl was strong and active. Thrice she shrieked aloud; and having one hand at liberty, seized Clermistonlee by his perfumed and cherished mustachios, giving him a twist so severe, that he immediately released her, but still interposed between her and the house. His eyes sparkled with ill-concealed rage.
"Hoity toity!" he muttered, stroking his mustachios, and surveying her with a gloomy expression. "May the great devil take me if I understand you!"
"That thou lovest another? Damnation, little fool! art still favouring that beardless beggar, whom some Dutchman's bullet will hurl to his father in the bottomless pit?"
"Wretch!" exclaimed Lilian, with undisguised contempt. "In heart and soul, Walter Fenton is as much above thee as the heavens are above the earth!"