下载辰思小说免费APP
“Tellmethestory，Barbara，“saidAlan，“andtellitbriefly，forI
cannotbearmuchmoreofthis。“
Shelookedathimandbeganinaslow，evenvoice:
“Afteryouhadgone，dear，thingswentonasusualforamonthortwo。
ThencamethegreatSaharaCompanytrouble。Firsttherewererumoursandthesharesbegantogodown。Myuncleboughttheminbytensandhundredsofthousands，toholdupthemarket，becausehewasbeingthreatened，butofcoursehedidnotknowthenthatLordAylward——forIforgottotellyou，hehadbecomealordsomehow——wassecretlyoneoftheprincipalsellers，lethimdenyitifhecan。AtlasttheOttomanGovernment，throughtheEnglishambassador，publisheditsrepudiationoftheconcession，whichitseemswasaforgery，actuallyexecutedorobtainedinConstantinoplebymyuncle。Well，therewasafearfulsmash。Writsweretakenoutagainstmyuncle，butbeforetheycouldbeserved，hediedsuddenlyofheartdisease。IwaswithhimatthetimeandhekeptsayinghesawthatgoldmaskwhichJeekiecallsBonsa，thethingyoutookbacktoAfrica。Hehadafinefuneral，forwhathehaddonewasnotpubliclyknown，andwhenhiswillwasopenedIfoundthathehadleftmehisfortune，butmadeLordAylwardtheremytrusteeuntilIcametothefullageoftwenty-fiveundermyfather’swill。Alan，don’tforcemetotellyouwhatsortofaguardianhewastome；alsotherewasnofortune，ithadallgone；
alsoIhadvery，verylittleleft，foralmostallmyownmoneyhadgonetoo。InhisdespairhehadforgedpaperstogetitinordertosupportthoseSaharaSyndicateshares。StillImanagedtoborrowabout￡2000fromthatlittlelawyeroutofthe￡5000thatremaintome，anindependentsumwhichhewasunabletotouch，and，Alan，withitI
cametofindyou。
“Alan，LordAylwardfollowedme；althougheverybodyelsewasruined，heremainedrich，veryveryrich，theysay，andhisfancywastomarryme，alsoIthinkitwasnotcomfortableforhiminEngland。Itisalongtale，butIgotupherewithaboutfive-and-twentyservants，andSnell，mymaid，whomyouremember。Thenwewerebothtakenillwithsomedreadfulfeverandhaditnotbeenforthosegoodblackpeople，I
shouldhavedied，forIhavebeenverysick，Alan。ButtheynursedmeandIrecovered；itwaspoorSnellwhodied，theyburiedherafewdaysago。Ithoughtthatshewouldlive，butshehadarelapse。NextLordAylwardappearedwithtwelvesoldiersandsomeporterswho，I
believe，haverunawaynow，——oh！youcanguess，youcanguess。Hewantedmypeopletocarrymeawaysomewhere，tothecoast，Isuppose，buttheywerefaithfultomeandwouldnot。Thenhesethissoldiersontomaltreatthem。Theyshotseveralofthemandfloggedthemoneveryopportunity；theywerefloggingoneofthemjustnow，Iheardthem。Well，thepoormenmademeunderstandthattheycouldbearitnolongerandmustdowhathetoldthem。
“Andso，Alan，asIwasquitehopelessandhelpless，Imadeupmymindtokillmyself，hopingthatGodwouldforgivemeandthatIshouldfindyousomewhere，perhapsaftersleepingawhile，foritwasbettertodiethantobegivenintothepower——ofthatman。IthoughtthathewascomingformejustnowandIwasabouttodoit，butitwasyouinstead，Alan，/you/
