"It
is Mr. Carthew, whom you picked up at Midway. My firm
has bought the wreck; I am just returned from breaking
her up; and--to make my business quite clear to you--I
have a communication it is necessary I should make; and
have to trouble you for Mr. Carthew's address."
It will be seen how rapidly I had dropped all hope of
interesting the frigid British bear. He, on his side,
was plainly on thorns at my insistence; I judged he was
suffering torments of alarm lest I should prove an
undesirable acquaintance; diagnosed him for a shy,
dull, vain, unamiable animal, without adequate defence-
-a sort of dishoused snail; and concluded, rightly
enough, that he would consent to anything to bring our
interview to a conclusion. A moment later he had fled,
leaving me with a sheet of paper thus inscribed:--
Norris Carthew,
Stallbridge-le-Carthew,
Dorset.
I might have cried victory, the field of battle and
some of the enemy's baggage remaining in my occupation.
As a matter of fact, my moral sufferings during the
engagement had rivalled those of Mr.
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