FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133  
134   135   136   137   138   139   >>  
icitly, and with my whole heart. I felt now that I should succeed in the difficult task I had set myself. The plan I had conceived and hoped to work out was to send Lord Blackadder to sea, all the way to Tripoli, with Philpotts and the sham child. CHAPTER XXVIII. We drove down, Philpotts and I, to the wharf where the steamers of the Transatlantique Company lie. The _Oasis_ had her blue peter flying, and a long gangway stretched from her side to the shore, up and down which a crowd passed ceaselessly, passengers embarking, porters with luggage, and dock hands with freight. At the top of the slope was the chief steward and his men, in full dress, white shirts, white ties, and white gloves, who welcomed us, asking the number of our stateroom, and offering to relieve us of our light baggage. One put out his arms to take the baby from Philpotts, but she shook her head vigorously, and I cried in French that it was too precious. Next moment a voice I recognized said: "Certainly they are there, and they have it with them. Why not seize it at once?" "Not so fast, Lord Blackadder," I interposed, turning on him fiercely. "No violence, if you please, or you may make the acquaintance of another police commissary." I had heard the whole story of the affair at Aix from the Colonel, who I may say at once I had seen shortly before, and who was at no great distance now. "Go on, Philpotts, get down below and lock yourself in," I said boldly. "Our cabin is thirty-seven--" checking myself abruptly as though I had been too outspoken. "But, Lady Claire, permit me," it was Lord Blackadder behind, speaking with quite insinuating softness. "Do be more reasonable. Surely you perceive how this must end? Let me entreat you not to drive me to extremities. I mean to have the child, understand that; but we ought to be able to arrange this between us. Give it up to me of your own accord, you shall not regret it. Ask what you choose, anything--a pearl collar or a diamond bracelet--" "Can you really be such a base hound, such an abject and contemptible creature, as to propose terms of that sort to me? How dare you think so ill of me? Let me pass; I cannot stay here, it would poison me to breathe the same air. Never speak to me again," I almost shouted, filled with bitter shame and immeasurable scorn, and I turned and left him. Down-stairs I found Philpotts in the cabin, busily engaged in putting her "doll" to bed in t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133  
134   135   136   137   138   139   >>  



Top keywords:
Philpotts
 

Blackadder

 

perceive

 

Surely

 

reasonable

 
distance
 
entreat
 

extremities

 
understand
 

softness


abruptly

 

checking

 
outspoken
 

thirty

 
Claire
 

insinuating

 
boldly
 
speaking
 

permit

 

shouted


breathe

 

poison

 

filled

 

bitter

 

engaged

 

busily

 

putting

 

stairs

 

immeasurable

 

turned


choose

 
collar
 

regret

 

arrange

 

accord

 
diamond
 

bracelet

 
propose
 

creature

 
contemptible

abject
 

turning

 
stretched
 
passed
 

gangway

 

flying

 
ceaselessly
 

passengers

 
steward
 

freight