human
A month passed, and then I received a letter. She informed me that her father and brother had called and implored her to accompany them to her mother, who lay in a dying state at a hotel in Bond Street. She loved her mother, and her tender heart was half broken by this afflicting intelligence. Naturally, she made haste to accompany her father and brother; but it was a base lie, Mr. Portlack, an inhuman stratagem! They conveyed her, not to her mother, but, valgamedios! to Captain Noble's estate in Cumberland. There she has remained; there she still is; but her deliverance is at hand, and she awaits me.
gpt
A regular mean and cruel business, don't you think, Mr. Portlack?
human
Does 'ee understand?
gpt
Perfectly, I answered.
human
It would be strange if I could not understand your pure English, sir,
gpt
What we want to know is----
human
Patience, interrupted Don Christoval, elevating his hand.
gpt
It is probable, he continued, turning to me,
human
he added, with a flash in his eyes.
gpt
The lady is my wife: you will allow that I have a right to her?
human
Undoubtedly,
gpt
The marriage was in all senses lawful. I can produce the necessary documentary evidence. I can produce my dear one's letter in which she communicates to me the perfidious conduct of her father. You will own that I have a greater right to my wife than her father has to his daughter.
human
You will own that? rasped out Captain Dopping.
gpt
The law sets the husband first. He's afore all hands.
human
That is so; that need not be reasoned,
gpt
Will you, said Don Christoval,
human
Sir, said I,
gpt
That is easily done, exclaimed Don Christoval, with a sweep of his hand that made a single diamond upon his finger stream in an arc of white fire under the lamps.
human
Captain Noble's house is called Trafalgar Lodge. It is a house that stands amid grounds. It is situated on the coast of Cumberland, to the south of St. Bees Head. A walk to it from the shore occupies less than half an hour, so close is it to the sea. The cliffs are high, but there is a little bay that has a margin of sand which even at high water gives plenty of foothold for landing from a boat. Into this bay between the cliffs comes sloping a--I forget the name in English.
gpt
A gap, Don Christoval?
human
That is it--that is it. You walk up this gap into the country and then the house is not far off. There is a little town about four miles distant inland--it is what you would call the nearest post-town to Trafalgar Lodge. It is a silent range of cliff--there are no guards of the coast. I have inquired, and there are no guards of the coast along that cliff. Well, when we arrive we keep what Captain Dopping calls a wide offing until the darkness of the night comes. We shall be guided by the weather: if it is fine we act, if it is stormy we keep at sea and wait. But suppose it fine. Good! We launch the boat. Myself, my friend here, Don Lazarillo de Tonnes, Captain Dopping, and five seamen enter her and we land. The rest is our affair. There must not be miscarriage; this voyage is costly. He glanced as he spoke at Don Lazarillo.
gpt
And we must go ashore in such force as to assure myself of getting possession of my wife, let Captain Noble and his son and his men servants and any gentlemen guests who may be sleeping in his house--let them, I say, oppose us as they will. But --he held up his forefinger with a smile that made his teeth glance like light under his heavy black mustache--
human
The long and short of it is, Mr. Portlack, here broke in Captain Dopping, with a note of impatience hardening yet his harsh utterance,