"Here is
Loudon, Mamie," were his words. "I want you to love
him; he has a grand nature."
"You are certainly no stranger to me, Mr. Dodd," was
her gracious expression. "James is never weary of
descanting on your goodness."
"My dear lady," said I, "when you know our friend a
little better, you will make a large allowance for his
warm heart. My goodness has consisted in allowing him
to feed and clothe and toil for me when he could ill
afford it. If I am now alive, it is to him I owe it;
no man had a kinder friend. You must take good care of
him," I added, laying my hand on his shoulder, "and
keep him in good order, for he needs it."
Pinkerton was much affected by this speech, and so, I
fear, was Mamie. I admit it was a tactless
performance. "When you know our friend a little
better," was not happily said; and even "keep him in
good order, for he needs it," might be construed into
matter of offence. But I lay it before you in all
confidence of your acquittal: was the general tone of
it "patronising"? Even if such was the verdict of the
lady, I cannot but suppose the blame was neither wholly
hers nor wholly mine; I cannot but suppose that
Pinkerton had already sickened the poor woman of my
very name; so that if I had come with the songs of
Apollo, she must still have been disgusted.
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