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27 - Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson · Classic Adventure Books - Daily

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty seven. I come to mister Rankeiler the next day.
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  Speaker 1: It was agreed that Allan should fend for himself till sunset,
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  Speaker 1: but as soon as it began to grow dark, he
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  Speaker 1: should lie in the fields by the roadside near to
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  Speaker 1: New Halls, and stir for naught until he heard me whistling.
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  Speaker 1: At first I proposed I should give him for a
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  Speaker 1: signal the bonny house of Airly, which was a favorite
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  Speaker 1: of mine. But he objected that, as the piece was
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  Speaker 1: very commonly known, any plowman might whistle it by accident,
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  Speaker 1: and taught me instead a little fragment of a Highland air,
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  Speaker 1: which is run in my head from that day to this,
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  Speaker 1: and will likely run in my head when I lie dying.
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  Speaker 1: Every time it comes to me, it takes me off
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  Speaker 1: to that last day of my uncertainty, with Alan sitting
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  Speaker 1: up in the bottom of the den, whistling and beating
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  Speaker 1: the measure with a finger, and the gray of the
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  Speaker 1: dawn coming on his face. I was in the long
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  Speaker 1: street of Queen's Ferry before the sun was up. It
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  Speaker 1: was a fairly built berg. The houses of good Stone
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  Speaker 1: many slated, the town hall not so fine, I thought,
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  Speaker 1: as that of peebles, nor yet the streets so noble.
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  Speaker 1: But take it altogether. It put me to shame for
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  Speaker 1: my foul tatters. As the morning went on, and the
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  Speaker 1: fires began to be kindled, and the windows to open,
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  Speaker 1: and the people to appear out of the houses, my
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  Speaker 1: concern and despondency grew. Ever the blacker. I saw now
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  Speaker 1: that I had no grounds to stand upon, and no
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  Speaker 1: clear proof of my rights, nor so much as of
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  Speaker 1: my own identity. If it was all a bubble, I
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  Speaker 1: was indeed sorely cheated and left in a sore pass.
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  Speaker 1: Even if things were as I conceived, it would in
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  Speaker 1: all likelihood take time to establish my contentions. And what
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  Speaker 1: time had I to spare with less than three shillings
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  Speaker 1: in my pocket and a condemned, hunted man upon my
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  Speaker 1: hands to ship out of the country. Truly, if my
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  Speaker 1: hope broke with me, it might come to the gallows
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  Speaker 1: yet for both of us. And as I continued to
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  Speaker 1: walk up and down and saw people looking askance at
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  Speaker 1: me upon the street or out of windows, and nudging
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  Speaker 1: or speaking one to another with smiles, I began to
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  Speaker 1: take a fresh apprehension that it might be no easy matter,
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  Speaker 1: even to come to speech of the lawyer, far less
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  Speaker 1: to convince him of my story. For the life of me,
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  Speaker 1: I could not muster up the courage to address any
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  Speaker 1: of these reputable burghers. I thought shame even to speak
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  Speaker 1: with them in such a pickle of rags and dirt.
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  Speaker 1: And if I had asked for the house of such
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  Speaker 1: a man as mister Rankeiler, I supposed they would have
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  Speaker 1: burst out laughing in my face. So I went up
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  Speaker 1: and down and through the street and down to the
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  Speaker 1: harbor side, like a dog that has lost its master,
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  Speaker 1: with a strange gnawing in my inwards, and every now
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  Speaker 1: and then a movement of despair. It grew to be
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  Speaker 1: high day at last, perhaps nine in the forenoon, and
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  Speaker 1: I was worn with these wanderings, and chance to have
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  Speaker 1: stopped in front of a very good house on the
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  Speaker 1: landward side, a house with beautiful clear glass windows, flowering
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  Speaker 1: knots upon the sills, the walls new harled, and a
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  Speaker 1: chased dog sitting yawning on the step, like one that
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  Speaker 1: was at home. Well, I was even envying this dumb
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  Speaker 1: brute when the door fell open, and there issued forth
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  Speaker 1: the shrewd, ruddy, kindly consequential man in a well powdered
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  Speaker 1: wig and spectacles. I was in such a plight that
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  Speaker 1: no one set eyes on me once. But he looked
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  Speaker 1: at me again. And this gentleman, as it proved, was
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  Speaker 1: so much struck with my poor appearance, that he came
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  Speaker 1: straight up to me and asked me what I did.
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  Speaker 1: I told him I was come to the Queen's Ferry
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  Speaker 1: on business, and taking heart of grace, asked him to
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  Speaker 1: direct me to the house of mister Wrenkeuyler. Why, said he.
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  Speaker 1: That is his house that I have just come out of,
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  Speaker 1: And for a rather singular chance, I am that very man. Then,
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  Speaker 1: Sir said I, I have to beg the favor of
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  Speaker 1: an interview. I do not know your name, said he,
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  Speaker 1: nor yet your face. My name is David Balfour, said I,
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  Speaker 1: David Balfour, he repeated, in rather a high tone, like
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  Speaker 1: one surprised. And where have you come from, mister David Balfour,
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  Speaker 1: he asked, looking pretty dryly in the face. I have
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  Speaker 1: come from a great many strange places, Sir said I,
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  Speaker 1: but I think it would be as well to tell
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  Speaker 1: you where and how. In a more private manner, he
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  Speaker 1: seemed to muse awhile, holding his lip in his hand,
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  Speaker 1: and looking now at me, and now upon the cause
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  Speaker 1: we of the street. Yes, says he, that will be
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  Speaker 1: the best, no doubt. And he led me back with
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  Speaker 1: him into his house, cried out to some one whom
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  Speaker 1: I could not see, that he would be engaged all morning,
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  Speaker 1: and brought me into a little dusty chamber full of
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  Speaker 1: books and documents. Here he sat down and bade me
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  Speaker 1: be seated, though I thought he looked a little ruefully
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  Speaker 1: from his clean chair to my muddy rags. And now
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  Speaker 1: says he, if you have any business, pray be brief
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  Speaker 1: and come swiftly to the point. Nick jemino bellum trojanum
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  Speaker 1: orditur ab vovou. Do you understand that? Says he, with
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  Speaker 1: a keen look. I will even do as Horace, says sir,
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  Speaker 1: I answered, smiling, and carry you in medias rests. He
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  Speaker 1: nodded as if he was well pleased, And indeed his
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  Speaker 1: scrap of Latin had been set to test me for
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  Speaker 1: all that, And though I was somewhat encouraged, the blood
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  Speaker 1: came in my face when I added, I have reason
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  Speaker 1: to believe myself some rights on the estate of Shaws.
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  Speaker 1: He got a paper book out of a drawer and
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  Speaker 1: set it before him open well, said he. But I
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  Speaker 1: had shot my bolt and sat speechless. Come come, mister Balfour,
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  Speaker 1: said he. You must continue. Where were you born in Essendean, Sir,
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  Speaker 1: said I the year seventeen thirty three, the twelfth of March.
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  Speaker 1: He seemed to follow this statement in his paper book.
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  Speaker 1: But what that meant I knew? Not your father and mother,
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  Speaker 1: said he. My father was Alexander Balfour, schoolmaster of that place,
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  Speaker 1: said I, and my mother Grace Pitterow. I think her
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  Speaker 1: people were from Angus. Have you any papers proving your identity,
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  Speaker 1: asked mister Raincyler. No, Sir, said I, but they are
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  Speaker 1: in the hands of mister Campbell, the Minister, and could
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  Speaker 1: be readily produced. Mister Campbell, too would give me his word,
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  Speaker 1: and for that manner, I do not think my uncle
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  Speaker 1: would deny me. Meaning mister Ebenezer Balfour says he the same,
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  Speaker 1: said I whom have you seen? He asked by whom
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  Speaker 1: I was received into his own house? I answered? Did
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  Speaker 1: you ever meet a man of the name of host Season,
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  Speaker 1: asked mister Rangkeyler, I did so, sir, for my sins
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  Speaker 1: said I. For it was by his means and the
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  Speaker 1: procurement of my uncle, that I was kidnapped within sight
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  Speaker 1: of this town, carried to sea, suffered shipwreck, and a
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  Speaker 1: hundred other hardships, and stand before you to day in
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  Speaker 1: this poor accouterment. You say you were shipwrecked, said Rancyler.
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  Speaker 1: Where was that off the south end of the Isle
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  Speaker 1: of Mull? Said I? The name of the isle on
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  Speaker 1: which I was cast up is the island eh red Ah,
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  Speaker 1: says he, smiling. You are deeper than me in the geography.
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  Speaker 1: But so far I may tell you this agrees pretty
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  Speaker 1: exactly with other informations that I old. But you say
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  Speaker 1: you were kidnapped in what sense? In the plain meaning
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  Speaker 1: of the words, Sir? Said I. I was on my
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  Speaker 1: way to your house when I was trepanned on board
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  Speaker 1: the brig cruelly struck down, thrown below, and knew no
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  Speaker 1: more of anything till we were far at sea. I
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  Speaker 1: was destined for the plantations, a fate that, in God's providence,
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  Speaker 1: I have escaped. The brig was lost on June the
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  Speaker 1: twenty seventh, says he, looking in his book. And we
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  Speaker 1: are now at August the twenty fourth. Here is a
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  Speaker 1: considerable hiatus, mister Balfour, of near upon two months. It
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  Speaker 1: has already caused a vast amount of trouble to your friends,
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  Speaker 1: and I own I shall not be very well contented
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  Speaker 1: until it is set right. Indeed, sir said I, these
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  Speaker 1: months are very easily filled up. But yet, before I
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  Speaker 1: told my story, I would be glad to know that
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  Speaker 1: I was talking to a friend. This is to argue
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  Speaker 1: in a circle, said the lawyer. I cannot be convinced
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  Speaker 1: till I have heard you. I cannot be your friend
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  Speaker 1: till I am properly informed. If you were more trustful,
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  Speaker 1: it would better befit your time of life. And you know,
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  Speaker 1: mister Balfour, we have a proverb in the country that
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  Speaker 1: evil doers are I evil dreaders. You are not to forget, sir,
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  Speaker 1: said I, that I have already suffered by my trustfulness,
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  Speaker 1: and was shipped off to be a slave by the
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  Speaker 1: very man that, if I rightly understand, is your employer.
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  Speaker 1: All this while I have been gaining ground with mister Rankeuyler,
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  Speaker 1: and in proportion as I gained ground, gaining confidence. But
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  Speaker 1: at this sally, which I made with something of a
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  Speaker 1: smile myself, he fairly laughed aloud. No, no, said he.
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  Speaker 1: It is not so bad as that fuied nonsoom. I
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  Speaker 1: was indeed your uncle's men of business. But while you Emerbius,
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  Speaker 1: Juvenis Costode Ramoto were gallivanting in the west, a good
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  Speaker 1: deal of water as run under the bridges. And if
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  Speaker 1: your ears did not sing, it was not for lack
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  Speaker 1: of being talked about. On the very day of your
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  Speaker 1: sea disaster, mister Campbell stalked into my office, demanding you
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  Speaker 1: from all the winds. I had never heard of your existence,
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  Speaker 1: but I had known your father, and from matters in
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  Speaker 1: my competence to be touched upon hereafter, I was disposed
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  Speaker 1: to fear the worse. Mister Ebenezer admitted, having seen you,
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  Speaker 1: declared what seemed improbable, that he had given you considerable sums,
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  Speaker 1: and that you had started for the continent of Europe,
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  Speaker 1: intending to fulfill your education, which was probable and praiseworthy.
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  Speaker 1: Interrogated how you had come to send no word to
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  Speaker 1: mister Campbell. He deponed that you had expressed a great
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  Speaker 1: desire to break with your past life. Further interrogated where
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  Speaker 1: you now were, protested ignorance, but believed you were in Leyden.
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  Speaker 1: That is a close sum of his replies. I am
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  Speaker 1: not exactly sure that any one believed him, continued mister
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  Speaker 1: Raankeyler with a smile. And in particular he so much
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  Speaker 1: disrelished me expressions of mine, that in a word he
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  Speaker 1: showed me to the door. We were then at a
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  Speaker 1: full stand. For whatever shrewd suspicions we might entertain, we
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  Speaker 1: had no shadow of probation. In the very article comes
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  Speaker 1: Captain hose Season with the story of your drowning. Whereupon
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  Speaker 1: all fell through with no consequences, but concerned mister Campbell,
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  Speaker 1: injury to my pocket and another blot upon your uncle's character,
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  Speaker 1: which could very ill afford it. And now mister Balfour
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  Speaker 1: said he you understand the whole process of these matters,
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  Speaker 1: and can judge for yourself to what extent I may
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  Speaker 1: be trusted. Indeed, he was more pedantic than I can
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  Speaker 1: represent him, and place more scraps of Latin in a speech.
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  Speaker 1: But it was all uttered with a fine geniality of
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  Speaker 1: eye and manner, which went far to conquer my distrust. Moreover,
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  Speaker 1: I could see he now treated me as if I
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  Speaker 1: was myself beyond a doubt. So that first part of
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  Speaker 1: my identity seemed fully granted. Sir said I, if I
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  Speaker 1: tell you my story, I must commit a friend's life
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  Speaker 1: to your discretion. Pass me your word. It shall be sacred,
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  Speaker 1: and for what touches myself, I will ask no better
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  Speaker 1: guarantee than just your face. He passed me his word
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  Speaker 1: very seriously, but said he these are rather alarming prolocutions.
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  Speaker 1: And if there are in your story any little jostles
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  Speaker 1: to the law, I would beg you to bear in
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  Speaker 1: mind that I am a lawyer, and pass lightly. Thereupon
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  Speaker 1: I told him my story from the first. He listening
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  Speaker 1: with his spectacles thrust up and his eyes closed, so
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  Speaker 1: that I sometimes feared he was asleep, But no such matter.
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  Speaker 1: He heard every word, as I found afterward, with such
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  Speaker 1: quickness of hearing and precision of memory as often surprised me.
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  Speaker 1: Even strange outlandish Gaelic names heard for that time, only
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  Speaker 1: he remembered and would remind me of years after. Yet
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  Speaker 1: when I called Alan brecken Full, we had an odd scene.
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  Speaker 1: The name of Alan had of course rung through Scotland
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  Speaker 1: with the news of the Appen murder and the offer
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  Speaker 1: of the reward, and it had no sooner escaped me
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  Speaker 1: than the lawyer moved in his seat and opened his eyes.
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  Speaker 1: I would name no unnecessary names, mister Balfour, said, he
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  Speaker 1: above all of highlanders, many of whom are obnoxious to
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  Speaker 1: the law. Well, it might have been better not said I,
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  Speaker 1: but since I have let it slip, I may as
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  Speaker 1: well continue. Not at all, said mister rankeyler. I am
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  Speaker 1: somewhat dull of hearing, as you may have remarked, and
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: I am far from sure I caught the name exactly.
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  Speaker 1: We will call your friend, if you please, mister Thomas,
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  Speaker 1: that there may be no reflections, and in future I
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  Speaker 1: would take some such way with any highlander that you
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  Speaker 1: may have to mention dead or alive. By this, I
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  Speaker 1: saw he must have heard the name all too clearly,
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  Speaker 1: and had already guessed I might be coming to the murder.
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  Speaker 1: If he chose to play this part of ignorance. It
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  Speaker 1: was no matter of mine, so I smiled, said it
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  Speaker 1: was no very highland sounding name, and consented. Through all
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  Speaker 1: the rest of my story, allan was mister Thompson, which
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  Speaker 1: amused me the more as it was a piece of
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: policy after his own heart. James Stewart, in like manner,
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: was mentioned under the style of mister Thompson's kinsman Colin
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: Campbell passed as mister Glenn and to Clooney. When I
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: came to that part of my tale, I gave the
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  Speaker 1: name of mister jamieson a Highland chief. It was truly
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  Speaker 1: the most open farce, and I wondered that the lawyer
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: should care to keep it up. But after all, it
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: was quite in the taste of that age, when there
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: were two parties in the state, and quiet persons with
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: no very high opinions of their own sought out every
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: cranny to avoid offense to either. Well, well, said the
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  Speaker 1: lawyer when I had quite done, this is a great epic,
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: a great odyssey of yours. You must tell it, sir,
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  Speaker 1: in a sound latinity, when your scholarship is riper, or
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: in English, if you please, though for my part I
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: prefer the stronger tongue. You have rolled much quie reggio
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: in Terrace. What perish in Scotland to make a homely
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: translation has not been filled with your wanderings. You have shown,
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  Speaker 1: besides a singular aptitude for getting into false positions, and
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: yes upon the whole, for behaving well in them. This,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: mister Thompson, seems to me a gentleman of some choice qualities,
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  Speaker 1: though perhaps a trifle bloody minded. It would please me
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: none the worse if with all his merits he were
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: soust in the north Sea. For the man, mister David,
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: is a sore embarrassment. But you are doubtless quite right
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: to adhere to him. Indubitably he adhered to you. It
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: comes we may say he was your true companion, nor
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: less paribus curis vestigia figit. For I dare say you
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: would both take an o'er a thought upon the gallows. Well, well,
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: these days are fortunately by, and I think, speaking humanly,
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: that you are near the end of your troubles. As
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: he thus moralized on my adventures, he looked upon me
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: with so much humor and benignity that I could scarce
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: contain my satisfaction. I had been so long wandering with
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: lawless people, and making my bed upon the hills and
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: under the bare sky, that to sit once more in
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: a clean, covered house, and to talk amicably with a
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: gentleman in broadcloth seemed mighty elevations. Even as I thought so,
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: my eye fell on my unseemly tatters, and I was
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: once more plunged in confusion, but the lawyer saw and
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: understood me. He rose, called over the stair to lay
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: another plate for mister Balfour would stayed to dinner, and
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: led me into a bedroom in the upper part of
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: the house. Here he set before me water and soap
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: and a comb, and laid out some clothes that belonged
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: to his son. And here with another apposite tag, he
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: left me to my toilet. End of chapter