He fancied that he might "pick me up," to "amuse" himself with, I
thought, and at the reflection I felt an angry glow rising from heart to
cheek.
Meanwhile the fisherman gnawed his moustache ruefully. This idle
worldling could assume, occasionally, a whimsical helplessness of
expression, with an air of aggrieved and childlike candor, somewhat
baffling to the stern designs of justice.
"Now I've offended you," he began, exchanging his tone of easy
nonchalance for one of slow and awkward dejection. "And you think I've
had the impudence--well, if either one of us two is going to be taken in,
Miss Hungerford, I can tell you it's a blamed sight more likely to be me;
but you're prejudiced against me, I can see. You were prejudiced against
me that first night. I know how those old women talk. They've got an
idea, somehow, that I'm a scapegrace, and a desperate character. And, on
my word, Miss Hungerford, I'm considered a real model chap there at home,
and make speeches to the little boys and girls in Sunday School, and all
that sort of thing. On my word, I do."
Mr. Rollin spoke quite warmly. I could not help laughing at his droll
self-vindication.
Pages:
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113