human
Ever since I came to myself, went on Amidon,
gpt
What do you mean, said Madame le Claire--and Elizabeth held her breath--
human
First let us know the wrong! If that exists, the reparation will be for Miss Scarlett and her advisers to name.
gpt
But they may name the keeping of the promise they say you have made!
human
I have thought that all over.
gpt
But your engagement to----
human
The lady you are about to mention, said Amidon,
gpt
Oh, it is too dreadful! cried Madame le Claire.
human
And for that worst thing--the other night--I only am to blame! I put into you the character in which you have become weak and drawn aside by suggestions not natural to your own character. Can you ever forgive me?
gpt
I have never thought of blaming you! he protested.
human
You? Why, no one ever had so good a friend; all the chance I have had to win happiness here, you gave me. I have lost that--by misfortune. Now help me to make things as near right as I can. Put me back into the world of Brassfield, and let me know the worst that I--he--has done.
gpt
Coom een! said the voice of the professor in the corridor.
human
Coom een! Clara iss not here now: den she must be someveres. Pe bleaced to sit vile I look. Anyhow, she vill soon return. Ach, Herr Cox, ve missed you creatly at our supper--eatings of reasons and sdreams of souls! Ach! Here iss our friendt te chutche, ant Herr Amidon--Brassfield, I mean!
gpt
Ah, Miss Scarlett, said she,
human
No! It was the voice of Miss Scarlett which replied.
gpt
No, I'm not going! And if 'Gene Brassfield is in there, Billy Cox has something to say to him. Here, Mr. Alvord, you come in, too; he's out there hunting for 'Gene. Billy, do your duty now!
human
Pardon me, said Mr. Cox, advancing into the next room, followed by Miss Scarlett.
gpt
Pardon me, Judge Blodgett, I have a few words for you and your client. Miss Scarlett has made me agree to apologize to Mr. Brassfield about that summons; and if 'Gene Brassfield thinks I owe him any apology for putting it on to him a little before his out-of-town friends, I'll make it. But here are the facts, and he knows it: for four years he's been rawhiding me at every chance with his practical jokes. He had me arrested and detained for a whole day on fake telegrams at Wilkesbarre, only last fall; and just before that he got everybody at the Springs to thinking I was Tascott, and induced a rural constable to take me into custody. Why, Alvord here in his worst estate hasn't been as bad as he's been. If he's lost any opportunity, I don't remember it; and, of course, I've got back once in a while, and may be about even. But everything has been good-natured and brotherly, as ought to be between members of the gang. _And_, of course, when the cannon-crackers began to go off that night, I knew he was doing it. I was over in Major Pumphrey's parlor, where Daisy had invited me, during the eruption, and I told her about these things, and wished for some way of getting even, and--and some one spoke of this breach of promise suit, and we--that is, I--got up the summons, and I told Ed Tootle to serve it on you at your orgy--you had no business to expect me to enter any free-for-all inebriates' competition--you know that, 'Gene! It may have been a little extreme as a joke; but if you'd laughed it off as you always do, nobody would have thought anything of it except to chaff you about it. But what do you do? You make as serious a thing of it as if you hadn't been trotting with our crowd for five years or so. You set this old--my learned friend from the West--briefing it up, and you make a fool of me. Worse than that, you place Daisy in a most objectionable position; and, by George, 'Gene, I claim the apology is due from you, to me and Daisy!