"Now, how am I expected to live with such a wife as this girl would make
me? If it were not for the estate I should be tempted to give her up,
and travel to forget her! How shall I overcome her repugnance? Not by
courting her; that's demonstrated. Only by being kind to her, and
letting her alone." Such was the tenor of his thoughts as he stood a
little behind her chair out of her sight.
But Jacquelina, when she found herself free, soon recovered, and arose
and left the room.
Until a day or two before Christmas, when, in the evening, she glided in
to her uncle's room and sunk down by his side--so unlike herself; so
like a spirit--that the old sinner impulsively shrank away from her, and
put out his hand to ring for lights.
"No; don't send for candles, uncle! Such a wretch as I am should tell
her errand in the dark."
"What do you mean now, minx?"
"Uncle, in all your voyages around the world did you ever stop at
Constantinople? And did you ever visit a slave mart there?"
"Yes; of course I have! What then? What the deuce are you dreaming of?"
"How much would such a girl as myself bring in the slave market of the
Sultan's city?"
"Are you crazy?" asked the commodore, opening his eyes to their widest
extent.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110