Newton waited some time before he ventured to make any observation; indeed he was so astonished at such unheard-of proceeding, and so shocked at the unfortunate situation of Isabel, that he hardly knew what to say.
“Am I then to inform the young ladies that you will not receive them?”
“You don’t know me, sir.—When did I ever receive a woman into my house? They are all alike, sir.—Plotted with their father, I’ll answer for, with the hopes of getting husbands. Tell them, sir, that I’ll see them damned first—swindling scoundrel!—first cheats me out of a thousand pounds, and then tries to cheat me into providing for his family!”
Newton paused a little, to allow the colonel’s wrath to subside, and then observed—“I never was so much distressed as to be the bearer of your message. The young ladies are certainly no parties to their father’s dishonesty, and are in a situation much to be pitied. In a foreign country, thousands of miles from their friends, without means of subsistence, or of paying their passage home. What is to become of them?”
“I don’t care.”
“That your indignation is just, Colonel Revel, I admit;—but allowing that you will not receive them, how are they to return home? Captain Drawlock, I am sure, would give them a passage; but we proceed to China. Poor girls!” continued Newton, with a sigh. “I should like to make a remark, Colonel Revel, if it were not considered too great a liberty in a stranger.”
“You have already taken a liberty, which in all probability has saved my life. I shall be happy to listen to any remark that you may wish to offer.”
“It was, sir, that reprehensible as their father’s conduct may be, common humanity, and a regard for your own character, will hardly warrant their being left thus destitute. They at least are your relations, and have neither offended nor deceived you; on the contrary, are, with you, joint victims of their father’s deception.”
“You appear to take a great interest in these young ladies,” observed the colonel, sharply.
“If I had never seen them, sir, their present unfortunate dilemma would be sufficient. Knowing them intimately as I do, I must say, that this intelligence will be to one; at least, a death-blow. I would to God that I were able to assist and to protect her!”