She was never engaged
to me. She treated me as fairly as ever a woman treated a man.
I have no complaint to make. It was all love on my side, and
all good comradeship and friendship on hers. When we parted she
was a free woman, but I could never again be a free man.
"Next time I came back from sea I heard of her marriage.
Well, why shouldn't she marry whom she liked? Title and money --
who could carry them better than she? She was born for all
that is beautiful and dainty. I didn't grieve over her marriage.
I was not such a selfish hound as that. I just rejoiced that good
luck had come her way, and that she had not thrown herself away
on a penniless sailor. That's how I loved Mary Fraser.
"Well, I never thought to see her again; but last voyage I was
promoted, and the new boat was not yet launched, so I had to
wait for a couple of months with my people at Sydenham.
One day out in a country lane I met Theresa Wright, her old maid.
She told me about her, about him, about everything. I tell you,
gentlemen, it nearly drove me mad. This drunken hound, that he
should dare to raise his hand to her whose boots he was not worthy
to lick! I met Theresa again.
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