human
I don't just know how to begin, Miss Beale, he said.
gpt
And having seen you, my conscience is beginning to work overtime. But I might as well start at the beginning. I suppose you have heard of the Bulford murder?
human
The Bulford murder?
gpt
Why, of course, everybody has heard of that.
human
Then happily it is unnecessary to explain all the circumstances,
gpt
I only know, interrupted the girl,
human
Exactly, nodded Glover with a twinkle in his eye.
gpt
In other words, he repudiated the suggestion that he was jealous, swore that he had already told Miss Briggerland that he could not marry her, and he did not even know that Bulford was paying attention to the lady.
human
He did that to save his life, said Lydia quietly.
gpt
Miss Briggerland swore in the witness-box that no such interview had occurred.
human
What you do not know, Miss Beale, he said gravely,
gpt
I don't exactly see what all this is to do with me,
human
I can quite understand, he said,
gpt
How old is Mr. Meredith?
human
He is thirty next Monday, said Glover quietly,
gpt
In prison?
human
If such things are allowed that could have been arranged, but for some reason the Home Secretary refuses to exercise his discretion in this matter, and has resolutely refused to allow such a marriage to take place. He objects on the ground of public policy, and I dare say from his point of view he is right. Meredith has a twenty-years sentence to serve.
gpt
Then how----
human
Let me tell this story more or less understandably, said Glover with that little smile of his.
gpt
Believe me, Miss Beale, I'm not so keen upon the scheme as I was. If by chance, he spoke deliberately,
human
Me? she gasped.
gpt
Marry a man I've not seen--a murderer?
human
Not a murderer,
gpt
But it is preposterous, impossible! she protested.
human
Why me?
gpt
When this scheme was mooted we looked round for some one to whom such a marriage would be of advantage, he said, speaking slowly.
human
It was Rennett's idea that we should search the County Court records of London to discover if there was a girl who was in urgent need of money. There is no surer way of unearthing financial skeletons than by searching County Court records. We found four, only one of whom was eligible and that was you. Don't interrupt me for a moment, please, he said, raising his hand warningly as she was about to speak.
gpt
We have made thorough inquiries about you, too thorough in fact, because the Briggerlands have smelt a rat, and have been on our trail for a week. We know that you are not engaged to be married, we know that you have a fairly heavy burden of debts, and we know, too, that you are unencumbered by relations or friends. What we offer you, Miss Beale, and believe me I feel rather a cad in being the medium through which the offer is made, is five thousand pounds a year for the rest of your life, a sum of twenty thousand pounds down, and the assurance that you will not be troubled by your husband from the moment you are married.