I told them they would not want it, and said I could save
them trouble if they gave it me. They never suspected why I wanted it.
Where do you think I may be mistaken?"
"You sold your nuggets for rather less than a twentieth part of their
value, and you threw in some curiosities, that would have fetched about
half as much as you got for the nuggets. You say you did this because
you wanted money to keep you going till you could sell some of your
nuggets. This sounds well at first, but the sacrifice is too great to be
plausible when considered. It looks more like a case of good honest
manly straightforward corruption."
"But surely you believe me?"
"Of course I do. I believe every syllable that comes from your mouth,
but I shall not be able to make out that the story was as it was not,
unless I am quite certain what it really was."
"It was exactly as I have told you."
"That is enough. And now, may I tell my mother that you will put
yourself in her, and the Mayor's, and my, hands, and will do whatever we
tell you?"
"I will be obedience itself--but you will not ask me to do anything that
will make your mother or you think less well of me?"
"If we tell you what you are to do, we shall not think any the worse of
you for doing it. Then I may say to my mother that you will be good and
give no trouble--not even though we bid you shake hands with Hanky and
Panky?"
"I will embrace them and kiss them on both cheeks, if you and she tell me
to do so.
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