Похищенный
Chapter 23
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“Hoot-toot!hoot-toot!”saidCluny.“Itwasalldaffing;it’sallnonsense.Ofcourseyou’llhaveyourmoneybackagain,andthedoubleofit,ifye’llmakesofreewithme.Itwouldbeasingularthingformetokeepit.It’snottobesupposedthatIwouldbeanyhindrancetogentlemeninyoursituation;thatwouldbeasingularthing!”crieshe,andbegantopullgoldoutofhispocketwithamightyredface.
Alansaidnothing,onlylookedontheground.
“Willyousteptothedoorwithme,sir?”saidI.
Clunysaidhewouldbeveryglad,andfollowedmereadilyenough,buthelookedflusteredandputout.
“Andnow,sir,”saysI,“Imustfirstacknowledgeyourgenerosity.”
“Nonsensicalnonsense!”criesCluny.“Where’sthegenerosity?Thisisjustamostunfortunateaffair;butwhatwouldyehavemedo—boxedupinthisbee-skepofacageofmine—butjustsetmyfriendstothecartes,whenIcangetthem?Andiftheylose,ofcourse,it’snottobesupposed——”Andherehecametoapause.
“Yes,”saidI,“iftheylose,yougivethembacktheirmoney;andiftheywin,theycarryawayyoursintheirpouches!IhavesaidbeforethatIgrantyourgenerosity;buttome,sir,it’saverypainfulthingtobeplacedinthisposition.”
Therewasalittlesilence,inwhichClunyseemedalwaysasifhewasabouttospeak,butsaidnothing.Allthetimehegrewredderandredderintheface.
“Iamayoungman,”saidI,“andIaskyouradvice.Advisemeasyouwouldyourson
