“Not so strange as my finding Hester Sommers in a coal-hole making golden slippers!”
At this Peter set down the basket, threw back his head, and took a prolonged silent laugh.
“Now dat is de strangest t’ing ob all. Didn’t I t’ink you not rignise her one bit!”
“Peter,” returned the midshipman gravely, “you ought to know from experience that true love pierces every disguise.”
“Das troo, Geo’ge,” said Peter, as he lifted his end of the basket and resumed the journey. “Lub is a wonderful t’ing, an’ I ain’t sure what might come ob it if I was took unawares to see my Angelica arter she’d bin painted white. But dere’s one t’ing as comforts me a leetle, an’ dat is, dat Peter de Great ain’t de biggest hyperkrite in de world arter all, for de way you purtended not to know dat gal, an’ de way she purtended not to know you, hab took de wind out ob my sails altogidder!”
Chapter Eleven.
Dangers, Vicissitudes, Escapes, New Surroundings, Hopes, And Fears.
It was probably an advantage to Hester Sommers that she had been subjected to so severe a test at that time, for, not many weeks afterwards, she experienced a shock which put her powers of self-restraint to a much severer trial.