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Nuttall ``Old Curious, from his zeal for curiosities; and some of them said that he was crazy, and that his friends let him go about and amuse himself in this way. One of them, however, who had seen something more of the world ashore, set all to rights, as he thought; ``O, 'vast there! You don't know anything about them craft. I've seen them colleges and know the ropes.
Nuttall again, and refer to an old herbal which claimed that "excessive corpulency may be reduced" by taking a few nettle-seeds daily. He would admit that he had never made a trial of this cure, as he had no desire to get rid of the corpulency with which the gods had seen fit to endow him.
"You will excuse me if I decline to discuss the matter," he said. "Suppose I ask Miss Nuttall to discuss it?" challenged the little man. "You are the master of your own actions," said Jasper Cole quickly, "and I dare say, if you regard it as expedient, you will tell her, but I can promise you that whether you tell her or not I shall marry Miss Nuttall."
There was no signature, but across the table the two men looked at one another, for the writing was the writing of Jasper Cole. Jasper Cole at that moment was trudging through the snow to the little châlet which May Nuttall had taken on the slope of the mountain overlooking Chamonix. The sleigh which had brought him up from the station was at the foot of the rise.
"Is Miss Nuttall well aware of this fact, too?" Jasper slipped from the table and stood upright. Through his narrow lids he looked down upon his accuser. "Is that all you know?" he asked softly. "Not all, but one of the things I know," retorted the other. "You were seen in her company. She was staying in the same hotel with you as 'Mrs. Cole." Jasper nodded.
James Nuttall made all speed, regardless of the heat, in his journey from Bridgetown to Colonel Bishop's plantation, and if ever man was built for speed in a hot climate that man was Mr. James Nuttall, with his short, thin body, and his long, fleshless legs.
My God! that our lives should depend upon such a dummerhead. While you waste your time here, the hours are passing! And if an overseer should catch you talking to me? How'll you explain it?" For a moment Nuttall was bereft of speech by such ingratitude. Then he exploded. "I would to Heaven I had never had no hand in this affair. I would so! I wish that...."
It seemed as if this paper had never been actually used as the cover of a letter, for it had no post-mark, seal, or wafer. Upon farther inspection, it was perceived that a t had been left out in the name of Nuttall; and it appeared probable that the cover had been thrown aside, and a new one written, in consequence of this omission.
May Nuttall, who had never explored the philosophies of La Rochefoucauld, had nevertheless seen that quotation in the birthday book of an acquaintance, and the saying had made a great impression upon her. She was twenty-one years of age, at which age girls are most impressionable and are little influenced by the workings of pure reason.
I like my own words to belong to me, my own self. I should be ashamed to owe everything I say to silly Nuttall or stupid old Webster. You're artful, Lynette Mildare, trying to change the conversation. I say you don't sympathise with me properly in my affairs of the heart and you never, never tell me about yours."
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