human
So like a man, soliloquised Mrs. Block, standing on her door-step, broom in hand,
gpt
I'm sorry for Pence,
human
Why?
gpt
It's such an awful thing for a person to have fits. If I'd known that I should not have pitched him over the fence last night. Of course, he's a rotter, and a blighter, and a nuisance; but he's weak, and I shouldn't have treated him so roughly. I only hope, said Cyril gloomily,
human
You can be quite sure of that, said Bella sharply;
gpt
she hesitated, then spoke out boldly,
human
I don't believe he had a fit.
gpt
My dearest girl, he said so himself, according to Mrs. Block.
human
I know he did, as Dora told me. And that makes me the more certain of his connection with the murder of my father. I suppose I must call Captain Huxham my father until I am certain of the truth of what Mr. Pence said.
gpt
I don't know what you are talking about, said Cyril, stopping to stare at the down-cast, flushed face under the black hat.
human
Why should Pence tell a lie about his fall?
gpt
Because he didn't want anyone to know that Durgo had thrown him down.
human
Would you mind explaining? he said politely,
gpt
I still cannot understand your meaning.
human
I don't know that I understand myself, she replied nervously.
gpt
The fact is, Cyril, I believe that Durgo threw Mr. Pence down when he refused to give up those papers.
human
What papers?
gpt
The papers which tell the truth about me.
human
But, my dear girl, that is all supposition. We don't know if any papers exist, after all. Pence may have spoken at random.
gpt
You believed that he spoke the truth.
human
I did. I want to believe, as only by learning that you are not Captain Huxham's daughter can we marry, said Cyril dismally;
gpt
Well, said Bella, plunging into her confession,
human
Why should he?
gpt
I asked him to.
human
You asked him to?
gpt
Yes. Bella was less nervous now.
human
I told him all that Mr. Pence said, and suggested that he should get the papers.
gpt
Tell me everything that passed between you and that nigger.
human
I have not said that I saw him,
gpt
You could scarcely have asked him to assault Pence, unless you had seen him, retorted Cyril, who looked displeased,
human
You have acted very wrongly,
gpt
I know I have: I admit as much, said the girl penitently,
human
You should not have seen this infernal nigger. I don't like any white woman to talk to niggers.
gpt
I don't like them myself, said Bella quietly,
human
You could have asked me to speak.
gpt
Would you have done so, seeing that you did not believe that the papers existed?
human
Nor do I believe now, replied Cyril, walking on quickly.
gpt
It is all guess work on your part.
human
No, no, no! insisted the girl, as they arrived at their favourite spot under a giant gorse bush;
gpt
We don't know for certain that he met with his injury at Durgo's hands.
human
Then I have done no wrong,
gpt
Indeed you have, said Cyril in vexed tones, as they sat down.
human
You spurred on that infernal nigger to do what was wrong.
gpt
I understood that you liked Durgo, and thought him a well-educated man.
human
So I do like him; so I do consider him wonderfully well educated. He is an Oxford M.A., you know. But I daresay if you scratched him you would find that he is a common nigger after all.
gpt
The son of a king?
human
An African king. Pooh! what's that? You must promise me, Bella, not to have anything more to do with him.
gpt
But I have promised to seek for the jewels in the Manor-house,
human
But you must come to me and tell me what you find out. I don't want you to speak to Durgo more than you can help.
gpt
That is racial instinct and injustice.
human
Racial instinct is never unjust. I don't care if Durgo was a black Homer and Bismark and Napoleon rolled into one. He is a man of colour, and I detest the breed. Promise not to have anything to do with him--at all events unless I am present.
gpt
I promise if you will not scold so much,
human
I am not scolding. If I did you would cry.
gpt
I begin to think that I am marrying a tyrant.
human
You are marrying a man who loves you, and who wants to protect you from all dangers. Oh, Bella, Bella! I wish we could go away to London and get married quietly. Then we could go to Australia and leave this bad past behind. Will you come? I have money enough for a year, and by that time I'll be able to get something to do in Melbourne or Sydney.
gpt
Dear, I love you dearly, but I can't marry you until I am quite sure that I am not Captain Huxham's daughter.
human
In any case, said Cyril bitterly.
gpt
You will marry the son of a man who has committed a murder.
human
I am not so sure of that. Now that Mr. Pence has told a lie I think that he may have something to do with the matter. He may be guilty.
gpt
I have no ill-will towards Pence, in spite of his insolence to you, but for the sake of my name I wish I could think so.
human
Here is Durgo!