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A few minutes later, as he rose to return to his quarters, he said, with an air of solemn resolution, "If I can possibly go with you, I will." All the next day and evening Coronado was in and out of the Van Diemen house. Had there been a mail for the ladies, he would have brought it to them; had it contained a letter from California, he would have abstracted and burnt it.
"Why, the outer wall's washed away," said Van Diemen. "Are they in real danger?" asked Annette, her teeth chattering, and the cold and other matters at her heart precluding for the moment such warmth of sympathy as she hoped soon to feel for them. She was glad to hear her father say: "Oh! they're high and dry by this time. We shall find them in the town And we'll take them in and comfort them.
Van Diemen sent for his head gardener, whose report of the state of things outside took the comprehensive form of prophecy; he predicted the fall of the town. "Nonsense; what do you mean, John Scott?" said Van Diemen, eyeing his orderly breakfast table and the man in turns. "It does n't seem like that, yet, does it?" "The house on the beach won't stand an hour longer, sir." "Who says so?"
Crickledon. His voice made a sound of metal in his throat, and his air was that of a man buttoned up to the palate, as he read from the card, glancing over his eyelids, "Mr. Van Diemen Smith, I believe." "Phil Ribstone, if you like," said the other, without rising. "Oh, ah, indeed!" Tinman temperately coughed. "Yes, dear me. So it is. It strikes you as odd?" "The change of name," said Tinman.
"I must tell you this, mister sir," said Van Diemen, "I like you, but I'll be straightforward and truthful, or I'm not worthy the name of Englishman; and I do like you, or I should n't have given you leave to come down here after us two. You must respect my friend if you care for my respect. That's it. There it is. Now you know my conditions."
Nevertheless, by pure unhappy chance you are the property of the Intelligencer, and as such this illustrious organ intends to confer upon you the signal honor of being a Columbus, a Van Diemen, an Amundsen. You, Weener, in your unworthy person, shall be the first man to set foot upon a virgin land."
Her counsel to her brother, after recounting the offensive scene to him in animated dialogue, was, to give Van Diemen a fright. "I wish I had not drunk that glass of sherry before starting," she exclaimed, both savagely and sagely. "It's best after business. And these gentlemen's habits of yours of taking to dining late upset me.
"You mistake, you mistake, you're entirely wrong," he said, as he pursued with desperation his task of rendering every word unreadable. Van Diemen stood fronting him; the accumulation of stores of petty injuries and meannesses which he had endured from this man, swelled under the whip of the conclusive exhibition of treachery. He looked so black that Annette called, "Papa!" "Philip," said Tinman.
Apparently detached from earth, she was seeking nearness to heaven. Her look at this moment was so awe-struck and piteous, that the soul of the man who loved her yearned to give her courage. "Miss Van Diemen, it shall all turn out well," he said, striking his fist on the pommel of his saddle. "Oh! why did we come here?" she groaned. "I ought to have prevented it," he replied, angry with himself.
"Now we feel the wind a little," said Annette. Fellingham murmured, "Allow me; your shawl is flying loose." He laid his hands on her arms, and, pressing her in a tremble, said, "One sign! It's not true? A word! Do you hate me?" "Thank you very much, but I am not cold," she replied and linked herself to her father. Van Diemen immediately shouted, "For we are jolly boys! for we are jolly boys!
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