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Chapter 26
”
“Inthenameofallthat’swonderful,whyso?”saysI.“Whatgoodcanthatdo?”
“Well,”saidAlan,withoneofhisdrolllooks,“Iwasratherinhopesitwouldmaybegetusthatboat.”
“Ifitweretheotherwayabout,itwouldbelikerit,”saidI.
“That’sallthatyouken,yesee,”saidAlan.“Idon’twantthelasstofallinlovewithye,Iwanthertobesorryforye,David;towhichendthereisnomannerofneedthatsheshouldtakeyouforabeauty.Letmesee”(lookingmecuriouslyover).“Iwishyewereaweethingpaler;butapartfromthatye’lldofineformypurpose—yehaveafine,hang-dog,rag-and-tatter,clappermaclawkindofalooktoye,asifyehadstolenthecoatfromapotato-bogle.Come;rightabout,andbacktothechange-houseforthatboatofours.”
Ifollowedhim,laughing.
“DavidBalfour,”saidhe,“ye’reaveryfunnygentlemanbyyourwayofit,andthisisaveryfunnyemployforye,nodoubt.Forallthat,ifyehaveanyaffectionformyneck(tosaynothingofyourown)yewillperhapsbekindenoughtotakethismatterresponsibly.Iamgoingtodoabitofplay-acting,thebottomgroundofwhichisjustexactlyasseriousasthegallowsforthepairofus.Sobearit,ifyeplease,inmind,andconductyourselfaccording.”
“Well,well,”saidI,“haveitasyouwill.”
Aswegotneartheclachan,hemademetakehisarmandhanguponitlikeonealmosthelplesswithweariness;andbythetimehepushedopenthechange-housedoor,heseemedtobehalfcarryingme.
