‘Such a handsome man!’ said Hermione. ‘It’s [296] ]not that alone—though, of course, he is very handsome, and he has beautiful eyes, that look right through you, and has immense strength, plain for all men to see. But there’s the calm dignity of command, a birthright never to be acquired. You feel that such a man must be obeyed; that no one would dare to resist for one moment. No doubt he has shed blood—which is dreadful to think of—but he has saved life also, and done many merciful and charitable actions—if we only knew.’
‘Oh, yes! scores, hundreds,’ said Vanda: ‘carried starving crowds of natives away from their islands when the crops had failed; picked up canoes at sea when they were beginning to cast lots for one to die to save the rest; and——’
‘Don’t tell me any more,’ pleaded Hermione. ‘I can’t bear it.’
‘And they say that if he was arrested he could be thrown into prison for offences against maritime law—whatever that may be. He was arrested at Honolulu, and was a prisoner upon a British man-of-war.’
‘Yes!’ cried Vanda; ‘but they couldn’t prove anything against him. So they had to let him go again, and he gave a ball afterwards. So he couldn’t have done anything very wicked. He sings, and plays on the violin, and guitar too. What a draw he would be in opera!’
‘Mrs. Lilburne says she will never forget his kindness to her husband. He got him away from that dreadful island, where he would have died. [297] ]So would she. She had a great mind to commit suicide, and was only kept alive by the incessant work in the hospital at Pilot Mount, where she nursed father, and Lord Newstead, and lots of poor miners.’
[298]
]CHAPTER XIV
‘Really,’ said Vanda, ‘when we want to see our Australian friends, the proper thing is to come to England. We have certainly met more in a month here than we ever did in a year in the colonies.’
‘And we never should have fallen across Captain Hay——I beg his pardon, Captain Bucklaw in Australia,’ assented Hermione. ‘I wonder what will be his end. Something romantic and far from peaceful, I feel certain. Oh, here he comes to say good-bye! Why can’t he stay another day, I wonder?’
‘Reasons of State! The Captain never stays long in one place, I’ve remarked,’ said Mr. Lilburne, who, with his wife, now joined them. ‘He had a wire from his agent that the cargo was complete, and the Haitchi Maru only waiting for her commander.’