"Miss Milborne rose to her feet somewhat suddenly. '"I" send for George?' she repeated, in stupefied notes. 'Have you taken leave of your senses?' 'No, of course I have not! You must know that there can be nothing he would not do for your sake! You have only to beg him-' 'I would sooner die an old maid!' Startled by the suppressed passion in the Beauty's voice, Hero could only blink at her in surprise. Miss Milborne pressed her hands to her hot cheeks. 'Upon my word, I had not thought it possible! So I am to send for George, and to supplicate him not to engage in a duel! After he has been making shameless love to you! Nothing- "nothing" could prevail upon me to do it! I am astonished you should ask it of me! Pray tell me why you, who are on such intimate terms with him, do not supplicate George yourself! I am persuaded your words must carry quite as much weight with him as mine. More, I dare say!' Hero sprang up, her hands tightly locked together within her ermine muff, quite as angry a flush as Isabella's in her cheeks. 'You are right! I "will" go to George! He does not make shameless love to me; no, for he has no love for me! but he is fond of me, a little, and he did say he would not wish to make me unhappy! I do not know how I can have been so foolish as to think that you would help me, for there is nothing behind your beauty but vanity and spite, Isabella!"