What big things hang on small issues! If my Lord Mallow had
prevented me leaving the island, I shouldn't now own a great
plantation and three hundred negroes. I shouldn't be able to pay
my creditors in good gold Portuguese half-johannes and Spanish
doubloons, and be free of Spanish silver, and give no heed to the
bitt, which, as you perhaps know, is equal to fivepence in British
money, such as you and I used to spend when you were Queen of
Ireland and I was your slave.
Then I worshipped you as few women have been worshipped in all the
days of the world--oh, cursed spite of life and time that I should
have been jailed for killing your bad father! Aye, he was a bad
man, and he is better in his grave than out of it, but it puts a
gulf between you and me which nothing will ever bridge--unless it
should some day be known I did not kill him, and then, no doubt, it
will be too late.
On my soul, I don't believe I put my sword into him; but if I did,
he well deserved it, for he was worse than faithless to your mother,
he was faithless to his country--he was a traitor! I did not tell
that story of his treachery in court--I did not tell it because of
you.
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