CAPT. G. You've never cried in my knowledge of you, and I don't
believe you could.
Mas. G. I feel very like it to-day, Pip. Don't be hard on me. (Reads
letter.) It begins in the middle, with-out any "Dear Captain
Gadsby," or anything. How funny!
CAPT. G. (Aside.) No, it's not Dear Captain Gadsby, or anything,
now. How funny!
Mas. G. What a strange letter! (Reads.) "And so the moth has
come too near the candle at last, and has been singed into-shall I
say Respectability? I congratulate him, and hope he will be as
happy as he deserves to be." What does that mean? Is she
congratulating you about our marriage?
CAPT. G. Yes, I suppose so.
Mas. G. (Still r'ading letter.) She seems to be a particular friend of
yours.
CAPT. G. Yes. She was an excellent matron of sorts-a Mrs.
Herriott-wife of a Colonel Herriott. I used to know some of her
people at Home long ago-before I came out.
Mas. G. Some Colonel's wives are young-as young as me. I knew
one who was younger.
CAPT. G. Then it couldn't have been Mrs. Herriott. She was old
enough to have been ycur mother, dear.
Mas. G. I remember now. Mrs. Scargill was talking about her at
the Dutfins' tennis, before you came for me, on Tuesday.
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