THE UNSPEAKABLE GENTLEMAN
My father raised his eyebrows.
"I fear my mind works slowly in the early morning. Pardon me, if I still must ask—Why are you here?"
Quite suddenly my uncle's patience gave way in a singular manner to exasperation, exposing a side to his character which I had not till then suspected.
"Because I can save your neck, that's why! Though, God knows, you don't seem to value it. I have interceded for you, George, I have come here to induce you to give up that paper peacefully and quietly, or else to take the consequences."
Evidently the force he gave his words contrived to drive them home, for my father nodded.
"You mean," he inquired, "that they propose to take me to France, and have me handed over to justice, a political prisoner?"
"It is what I meant, George, as a man in a plot to kill Napoleon—" then his former kindliness returned—"and we cannot let that happen, can we?"
"Not if we can prevent it," my father replied. "If the trouble is that I have the paper in my possession, I suppose I must let it go."
Uncle Jason smiled his benignest smile.
[102]
