Some fools could not understand this,
and answered him with abuse and lampoons; and he was obliged to punish
them, to avoid suspicion. Yes, yes, I and others can prove he was
willing to be kind, if men would give him leave. I hope to thank him at
Madras one day soon--All this in confidence--Good-morrow to you."
Distracted by the contradictory intelligence he had received, Hartley
went next to question old Captain Capstern, the Captain of the Indiaman,
whom he had observed in attendance upon the Begum Montreville. On
enquiring after that commander's female passengers, he heard a pretty
long catalogue of names, in which that he was so much interested in did
not occur. On closer enquiry, Capstern recollected that Menie Gray, a
young Scotchwoman, had come out under charge of Mrs. Duffer, the
master's wife. "A good decent girl," Capstern said, "and kept the mates
and guinea-pigs at a respectable distance. She came out," he believed,
"to be a sort of female companion, or upper servant in Madame
Montreville's family. Snug berth enough," he concluded, "if she can find
the length of the old girl's foot."
This was all that could be made of Capstern; so Hartley was compelled to
remain in a state of uncertainty until the next morning, when an
explanation might be expected with Menie Gray in person.
CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH.
The exact hour assigned found Hartley at the door of the rich native
merchant, who, having some reasons for wishing to oblige the Begum Mon
treville, had relinquished, for her accommodation and that of her
numerous retinue, almost the whole of his large and sumptuous residence
in the Black Town of Madras, as that district of the city is called
which the natives occupy.
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