human
Natural, very natural,
gpt
What is natural?
human
I beg your pardon, Duchess. I did not intend to speak aloud; a trick of mine, when I am interested. Bad habit--bad habit. I was thinking that you looked weary--natural, very natural.
gpt
Weary! Leah placed her elbows on the table which stood between them.
human
I tell you what, Mr. Hall: unless you bring my husband back soon, I shall take to drink.
gpt
My--dear--Duchess.
human
Well, and don't men take to drink when they are worried? What better can a poor woman do than imitate the lords of creation? You are so inconsistent. What about my particular lord? Has that beast spoken out?
gpt
No. He refuses to speak save on his own terms, which are, I may say, preposterous--extremely so.
human
He is the kind of man who would ask for the sun--and get it,
gpt
Whether he gets it is for you to determine, Duchess.
human
Oh! She looked at him sharply.
gpt
Am I to arbitrate?
human
Quite so--quite so. A very well-chosen word--arbitrate.
gpt
And the joke, Mr. Hall?
human
It might almost be one, Duchess, so preposterous is the demand of this man. He refuses to reveal the whereabouts of his Grace, unless--prepare yourself for a surprise--unless he is set free. Now then, Duchess --Mr. Hall threw himself back in his chair, and flung open his frock-coat--
gpt
I can't see it myself, replied Leah, coolly.
human
He seems to be a very sensible man.
gpt
But--but--he ought to be punished.
human
I fear he would not agree with you there. Is this what you have come to see me about?
gpt
Yes. All attempts to find the Duke have been made in vain: the resources of civilisation are exhausted. Only one thing remains--to accede to the prisoner's terms. I saw the Reverend Lionel Kaimes, and he agrees not to prosecute. Now I come to you----
human
To ask me not to prosecute?
gpt
Exactly--exactly. The man attempted to blackmail you and the Reverend Mr. Kaimes. If neither one of you will prosecute, the magistrate will be obliged to dismiss the case for want of evidence. And then----
human
Then Captain Strange--that is his name, isn't it?--will send Jim back.
gpt
I question it--I question it. Once free, he may again attempt to blackmail--that is, he may refuse to surrender his prisoner without money being paid.
human
I do not agree with you, said Leah, mendaciously.
gpt
The man has had a fright, and will not trust himself again into the lion's mouth. Besides, even if he did try to blackmail, we could refuse, and he can't keep my husband for ever on board his dirty little boat. A prisoner who cannot be ransomed would be expensive to keep. Jim has an enormous appetite.
human
True--true; you put the case concisely--very concisely, I may say. The question is, whether it is right to set the man free, and trust to an honour which I fear he does not possess.
gpt
It appears that Captain Strange, very wisely, will not open his mouth so long as he is shut up. If set free he promises to be amenable to reason. Of two evils I choose the least, as Mr. Kaimes has done.
human
That means you will not prosecute?
gpt
Yes. Let the man go, and probably my husband will arrive within the week. How can it be done?
human
Very easily. To-morrow, or the next day, Strange can be brought before the magistrate; but as neither you nor Mr. Kaimes will appear, the charge will be dismissed.
gpt
And then?
human
Then, my dear Duchess, he will vanish into the world, and we shall have to trust to the honour of an admitted blackmailer. It is really a terrible dilemma, cried the lawyer, dismally,
gpt
Not at all, contradicted Leah, coolly;
human
But, my dear Duchess
gpt
What's the use of talking? she snapped impolitely.
human
I have told you what to do. Go and do it.
gpt
Really----
human
Pardon me if I am rude, but I am not fit to talk