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Updated: June 21, 2025
"Pray, which way do you incline, Señor?" says I. "Being a Spaniard," answers he, gravely, "I should prefer to live like a prince in Spain." "That would not I," says Dawson, stoutly. "A year and a half of Elche have cured me of all fondness for foreign parts. Besides, 'tis a beggarly, scurvy thing to fly one's country, as if we had done some unhandsome, dishonest trick.
But getting to Alger half-dead with the fatigue of trudging all that distance in the full heat of the day, we learnt to our chagrin that no ship would be sailing to Elche for a fortnight at the least, and all the money we had would not tempt any captain to carry us there; so here were we cast down again beyond everything for miserable, gloomy apprehensions.
We told him she was safe, whereat he thanks God most fervently, and how we had spoken with her; and then he tells us of his adventures how on getting Don Sanchez's letter he had started forth at once with such help as Sir Peter Lely generously placed at his disposition, and how coming to Elche, he found Mrs.
"Did he offer to take you and three others to Elche, aboard a craft called the White Moon?" I nodded again, astonished at his information, for we had not discussed our design to-day, Haroun and I. "Did he offer to carry you off in a boat to his craft from the rock on the mouth?" Once more I nodded. "Can you guess what will happen if you agree to this?" Now I shook my head.
But, if she say nothing, I shall take it for a sign her heart is set upon going back to Elche, and she would have it a secret that we may not be disheartened in our other project." "That is likely enough," says I, not a little surprised by his reasoning. But love sharpens a man's wit, be it never so dull.
We were too overwrought for great astonishment; indeed, my chief surprise was that I had not foreseen this event in Moll's desire to return to Elche, or hit upon the truth in seeking an explanation of her disappearance.
The surprising activity with which we attacked our domestic business at Elche lasted about two days and a half, Dawson labouring at his shed, I at the cultivation of the garden, and Moll quitting her cooking and household affairs, as occasion permitted, to lend a helping hand first to her father and then to me. Dawson was the first to speak his mind.
We waited in Alicante four days more, making seven in all from the day we lost Moll; and then, the suspense and torment of inactivity becoming insupportable, we set out again for Elche, the conviction growing strong upon us, with reflection, that we had little to hope from Don Sanchez.
I think no country in Europe can be richer than this Elche in fruits and vegetation, more beautiful in its surrounding aspects of plain and mountain, more blessed with constant, glorious sunlight; and the effect of these charms upon the quick, receptive spirit of our Molly was like a gentle May upon a nightingale, so that the days were all too short for her enjoyment, and she must need vent her happiness in song; but on us they made no more impression than on two owls in a tower, nay, if anything they did add to that weariness which arose from our lack of occupation.
And here he fell speedily discoursing of Moll, saying he could not sleep of nights for thinking of the pranks she used to play us, our merry vagabond life together in Spain ere we got to Elche, etc., and how he missed her now more than ever he did before.
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