human
What a wreck! What a terrible wreck! murmured the baronet.
gpt
I--I never dreamt that he was half as bad as this.
human
I trust. Sir Thomas, that you will pardon my intrusion, he said, at last, speaking in a strange, husky voice, that was little more than a whisper, and was totally unlike the well-remembered voice--clear and confident--of Matthew Kelvin.
gpt
That my business here is of a very pressing kind you may well believe, when you see me thus and so attended.
human
Whatever your business may be, Kelvin, said the baronet, kindly,
gpt
Yes, yes; I know all you can say, said Kelvin, a little querulously.
human
But it was necessary that I should come here in person, and without an hour's delay.
gpt
You don't mean to say that there's going to be a dissolution of Parliament?
human
Ah! I was afraid there was no such luck,
gpt
I am here on the same errand that brought Miss Deane here this morning.
human
But Miss Deane has told us everything, and a queer story it is.
gpt
She has not told you everything, Sir Thomas.
human
Well, I hope there's not much more to tell. I hardly know already whether I'm topsy-turvey or how.
gpt
You have, I presume, read the letter that I sent by Miss Deane?
human
Miss Deane gave me no letter. She told me a long rigmarole about----
gpt
Oh, Matthew! I lost the letter! cried Olive, coming a step or two nearer.
human
I lost the letter; but I knew what you had written, and I delivered your message just the same.
gpt
You could not know what I had written, unless you had read my letter,
human
Oh, Matthew! Why do you say such cruel things of me? cried Olive, imploringly.
gpt
You know how I knew what the contents of your letter would necessarily be.
human
Has the message which Miss Deane gave you been given also to Lady Dudgeon and to Miss Lloyd?
gpt
Certainly--to both of them. They were told first of all.
human
I hope you will not think that I am asking too much if I ask you to be kind enough to request the favour of Lady Dudgeon's and Miss Lloyd's presence here for a few minutes.
gpt
We'll have them here in a brace of jiffeys,
human
I felt sure there was some mistake in that queer story which Miss Deane told us a couple of hours ago, said the baronet, cheerfully.
gpt
Such things never happen in real life, you know. One sees them on the stage sometimes, and laughs at them.