"Insult a defenceless girl with her poverty! It is a noble act, and one worthy of a high-born gentleman like yourself!" "I believed," said the Duke, "that I was addressing the woman whose advice had led my son to break into open rebellion against my authority.
Am I right or wrong?
You can prove me to be mistaken by urging upon Norbert the necessity for submission." She made no reply, but bent her head upon her bosom.
"You see," continued the Duke, "that I am correct, and that if you continue to act as you have done, I shall be justified in retaliating in any manner that I may deem fit.

You have now been warned.

Carry on this intrigue at your peril." He placed such an insulting emphasis upon the word "intrigue" that Diana's anger rose to boiling point.

At that instant, for the sake of vengeance, she would have risked her honor, her ambition, her very life itself.
Forgetting all prudence, she cast aside her mask of affected indifference, and, with her eyes flashing angry gleams of fire, and her cheeks burning, she said,-- "Listen to me.

I, too, have sworn an oath, and it is that Norbert shall be my husband; and I tell you that he shall be so! Shut him up in prison, subject him to every indignity at the hands of your menials, but you will never break his spirit, or make him go back from his plighted word.