“But I didn’t begin, Mrs. Williams. It’s you who are raising all this trouble for nothing; because, as a matter of fact, they did not come alone. They had a man with them. An elderly, most respectable man. There he stands yonder, with a feather in his hat. Hey! You! _Señor caballero_, hidalgo, Pedro--Miguel--José--what’s your particular saint? Step this way a bit...” Manuel managed to jerk a half-choked “Excellency,” and Castro, muffled up to the eyes, began to walk slowly aft, pausing after each solemn stride. The dark woman in the doorway was as effectual as an angel with a flaming sword. She paralyzed me completely. Sebright dropped his voice a little. “I don’t see that’s much worse than going off at six o’clock in the morning to get married on the quiet; all alone with a man in a hackney coach--you know you did--and being given away by a perfect stranger.” “Mr. Sebright! Be quiet! How dare you?... Owen!” Williams made a vague, growling noise, but Sebright, after muttering hurriedly, “It’s all right, sir,” proceeded with the utmost coolness: “Why, all Bristol knows it! There are those who said that you got out of the scullery window into the back street. I am only telling you...” “You ought to be ashamed of yourself to believe such tales,” she cried in great agitation. “I walked out at the gate!” “Yes. And the gardener’s wife said you must have sneaked the key off the nail by the side of the cradle--coming to the lodge the evening before, to see her poor, ailing baby. You ought to know what love brings the best of us to. And your uncle isn’t a bloody-handed pirate either. He’s only a good-hearted, hard-swearing old heathen. And you, too, are good-hearted. Come, Mrs. Williams. I know you’re just longing to tuck this young lady up in bed--poor thing. Think what she has gone through! You ought to be fussing with sherry and biscuits and what not--making that good-for-nothing steward fly round. The beggar is hiding in the lazarette, I bet. Now then--allow me.” I got hold of the matter there again. I said--because I felt that the matter only needed making clear: “This young lady is the daughter of a great Spanish noble. Her father was killed by these pirates. I am myself of noble family, and I am her appointed guardian, and am trying to save her from a very horrible fate.” She looked at me apprehensively. “You would be committing a wicked act to try to interfere with this,” I said. I suppose I carried conviction. “I must believe what you say,” she said. She added suddenly, with a sort of tremulous, warm feeling, “There, there. I don’t mean to be unkind. I knew nothing, and a married woman can’t be too careful. For all I could have told, you might have been a--a libertine; one of the poor lost souls that Satan...” Manuel, as if struggling with the waves, managed to free his lips. “Excellency, help!” he spluttered, like a drowning man. “I will give the young lady every care,” Mrs. Williams said, “until light shall be vouchsafed.”