“You shocking, impudent little vixen!  How dare you talk so?”

“Hear me out, uncle.  I say, knowing such to be the case, I also know my own importance as a ‘stalking-horse,’ or sumpter-mule, or something of the sort, to bear upon my own shoulders the burden of this estate, which you wish to give by me to Dr. Grimshaw.  Therefore, I shall not give myself away for nothing.  I intend to sell myself for a price!  Nothing on earth would induce me to consent to marry Dr. Grimshaw, were it not to secure peace and comfort to my mother’s latter days.  Your threat of turning me out of doors would not compel me into such a marriage, for well I know that you would not venture to put that threat into execution.  But I cannot bear to see my poor mother suffer so much as she does while here, dependent upon your uncertain protection.  You terrify and distress her beyond her powers of endurance.  You make the bread of dependence very, very bitter to her, indeed!  And well I know that she will certainly die if she remains subjected to your powers of tormenting.  I speak plainly to you, uncle, having nothing to conceal; to proceed, I assure you I will not meet your views in marrying Dr. Grimshaw, unless it be to purchase for my poor mother a deliverance from bondage, and an independence for life.  Therefore, I demand that you shall buy this place, ‘Locust Hill,’ which I hear can be bought for five thousand dollars, and settle it upon my mother; in return for which I will bestow my hand in marriage upon Dr. Grimshaw.  And, mind, I do not promise with it either love, or esteem, or service—­only my hand in civil marriage, and the estate it has the power of carrying with it!  And the documents that shall make my mother independent of the world must be drawn up or examined by a lawyer that she shall appoint, and must be placed in her hands on the same hour that gives my hand to Dr. Grimshaw.  Do you understand?  Now, uncle, that is my ultimatum!  For, please the heavens above us! come what may! do what you will! turn me and my mother out of doors, to freeze and starve—­I will die, and see her die, before I will sell my hand for a less price than will make her independent and at ease for life!  For, look you, I would rather see her dead, than leave her in your power!  Think of this, uncle!  There is time enough to-morrow and next day to make all the arrangements; only be sure I am in earnest!  Look in my face!  Am I not in earnest?”

“I think you are, you little wretch!  I could shake the life out of you!”

“That would be easy, uncle!  There is not much to shake out.  Only, in that case, you would have no stalking-horse to take the estate over to Dr. Grimshaw.”  And so saying, Jacquelina arose to leave the room.

“Come back here—­you little vixen, you!”

Sans Souci returned.

“It’s well to ‘strike while the iron’s hot,’ and to bind you while you’re willing to be bound, for you are an uncertain little villain.  Though I don’t believe you’d break a solemn pledge once given—­hey?”