The neck of the goose that lays the golden eggs? No. They dont kill geese that way.
The whole affair will be off.
Old mans a rum one, isnt he?
How do you know?
How do I know? said Gellow, with a quiet chuckle. Thats my business. I know everything about you, my dear boy. I have a great personal interest in your proceedings, and every move is reported to me.
And, to make matters worse, you have yourself come down to play the spy.
Not a bit of it, my dear Glyddyr; but you have cursed and bullied me at such a tremendous rate, that, as I have you on the hook, I cant help playing you a little.
Oh! snarled Glyddyr furiously.
But, all the same, I am the best friend you have in the world.
Its a lie!
Is it? Well, we shall see. I want you to marry King Gartrams daughter, and Ill let you have all you want to carry it out. And by the way, here are three letters for you.
He took the letters out of his pocket-book, and handed them.
There you are: Parry Glyddyr, Esq, care of Reuben Gellow, Esq, 209 Cecil Street, Strand.
Why, theyve been opened!
Yes, all three and read.
You scoundrel! roared Glyddyr. Do you dare to sit there and tell me that you have had the effrontery to open my letters and read them?
I didnt tell you so.
But you have read them?
Every line.
Look here, sir, cried Glyddyr, rising fiercely, I found it necessary to have my letters sent to an agent.
Reuben Gellow.
To be forwarded to me where I might be yachting.
So as to throw your creditors off the scent.
And you, acting as my agent, have read them.
In your interest, dear boy.
Curse you! I dont care what happens now. All is at an end between us, you miserable
Go it, old fellow, if it does you good; but I didnt open the letters.
Then who did?
Denise.
Glyddyrs jaw dropped.
Now, then, you volcanic eruption of a man; whos your friend, eh? I went down to the office yesterday morning. Lady waiting in your room, sir, says my clerk. Who is it? says I. Wouldnt give her name, says my clerk. Wants money then, says I to myself; and goes up, and there was Madame Denise just finishing reading number three.
Good heavens! muttered Glyddyr, blankly.
I came, sare, she says, with one of her pretty, mocking laughs, to ask you for ze address of my hosband, but you are absent, it ees no mattair. I find tree of my hosbands lettaires, and one say he sup-poz my hosband go to Danmout. Dat is all.
Then shell find me out, and come down here and spoil all.
Divil a doubt of it, me boy, as Paddy says.
But you you left the letters lying about.
Not I. They came by the mornings post. How the deuce could I tell that she would hunt me up, and then open her hosbands letters.
I am not her husband; cried Glyddyr furiously. That confounded French marriage does not count.
Thats what youve got to make her believe, my dear boy.
And if it did, Id sooner smother myself than live with the wretched harpy.
Yes; I should say she had a temper Glyddyr. So under the circumstances, dear boy, I thought the best thing I could do was to come down fast as I could and put you on your guard.
My dear Gellow.
Come, thats better. Then we are brothers once again, cried Gellow, with
voice, and pronouncing the words with a very foreign accent, but I am so strange at zis place. I want ze small ship yacht Ze Fair Star . You will tell me?
Oh, certainly, said Chris quickly; one, two, three, four, he continued pointing to where several graceful-looking yachts swung at their buoys. That is it, the fourth from the left.
Ah, but yes, I see. One two tree four, and zat is Ze Fair Star ?
There was something droll and yet prettily piquant about her way of speaking, and in spite of himself Chris smiled, and the stranger laughed a little silvery laugh.
I say someting founay, nest-ce pas ? she said.
I beg your pardon, cried Chris. I dont think I made myself understood.
Ah, perfectly. I am not Engleesh, but I understand. I count one, two, tree, four, and zat is Ze Fair Star , nombair four. Is it not so?
Quite right, said Chris.
But how shall I get to him?
You must go down to the landing-place and hail her, or else hire a boatman to take you to her.
Hail! What is hail?
Call shout to the men on board.
But, yes: I am vairay stupide. But where is ze boat to take me. I am so strange here at zis place.
If you will allow me, I will show you.
Ah, I tank you so much, and in the most matter-of-fact way, the stranger walked beside Chris towards the harbour, smiling and chatting pleasantly.
I make you laugh vairay much, she said merrily; and then, aha! ze charmante young lady is your friend. I will find my own way now.
She looked curiously at Chris, who had suddenly turned scarlet and then ghastly pale, for at the lane leading to the harbour they had come upon Claude and Mary, both looking wonderingly at him and his companion, and passing on without heeding his hurried salute.
No, no, said Chris, recovering himself quickly; and there was a flash of anger in his eyes as he continued rather viciously, I will see you to the harbour, and speak to one of the boatmen for you.