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'Oh! that's another thing, said Nicholas; 'you should have told me that, too. 'I dare say you didn't know, indeed! retorted Miss La Creevy. 'But, now I look at you again, you seem thinner than when I saw you last, and your face is haggard and pale. And how come you to have left Yorkshire?
Nick and I were before her, and, running through the house, arrived at the portico in time to see a negro ride up on a horse covered with lather. It was the same negro who had fetched me hither from Mr. Lowndes. And when I saw him my heart stood still lest he had brought news of my father. "What's to do, boy?" cried Nicholas to him. The boy held in his hand a letter with a great red seal.
He looked at me so mildly and with such genuine interest that I was compelled to feel my indignation a whit melodramatic. "If you are going," I said more calmly, "for Heaven's sake go! It can't be any pleasure to you, clever and talented as you are, to bait such harmless people as Vera and Nicholas. You've done harm enough. Leave them, and I forgive you everything."
When he was taking off his boots, and was giving you directions about details of management, you and Nicholas, at a given signal, seized your drunken master and threw him on the bed. One of you sat on his legs, the other on his head.
He fitted the key in the lock; the sound of its turning made music in his ears, and, setting his foot upon the sill, he was a man for whom that little was enough. Nicholas Oldfield was at home. He laid down his bag, and went, without an instant's pause, straight through to the sitting-room, and stood before the tall eight-day clock.
It was matter of equal moment to Nicholas whether they were waiting for one gentleman or twenty, so he received the intelligence with perfect unconcern; and, being out of spirits, and not seeing any especial reason why he should make himself agreeable, looked out of the window and sighed involuntarily.
But Uncle Ben, as it seems was used to it, in the way of trade, just as people of fashion are, by a style of courtesy. Therefore the old man only looked with pity at Farmer Nicholas; and with a sort of sorrow too, reflecting how much he might have made in a bargain with such a customer, so ignorant and hot-headed.
Long as all this takes to tell, it was not more than a couple of minutes in passing. As the stranger was moving away, Nicholas caught his eye again, and, in the awkwardness of the moment, stammered out an apology. 'No offence. Oh no offence! said the old man.
Billie felt that she would like very much to cry. Nothing had ever stirred her as this flood of melody which seemed to have been turned on for their especial benefit. While they listened, there came the sound of three pistol shots in quick succession and a cry. Was it an English cry for help? Instantly Nicholas was on his feet. "You had better stay here," he said.
At length this was obscured by the clouds, from which flashes of lightning, with crackling peals of thunder, burst forth. Still he swam on, until again the moon shone forth. Having cut off his heavy boots, he swam more easily. And now Lowestoft Light came in sight, and he saw the checkered buoy of Saint Nicholas Gat, opposite his own door, but still four miles away from land.
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