Then there were other things, but they were of the nature
of private affairs.' 'You can tell me about them, my good man,' he
said; 'I am no vain babbler; and as you may well believe, from what
he did for me, and for other reasons, I would fain know as much as I
can of him.' So then I told him about how you found out about the
robbery and saved master from being ruined, and how you prevented
Miss Nellie from going off with a rascal who pretended he was an
earl."
"Then you did very wrong, John," Cyril said angrily. "I say naught
about your speaking about the robbery, for that was told in open
Court, but you ought not, on any account, to have said a word about
Mistress Nellie's affairs."
"Well, your honour, I doubt not Mistress Nellie herself would have
told the gentleman had she been in my place. I am sure he can be
trusted not to let it go further. I took care to tell him what good
it had done Mistress Nellie, and that good had come out of evil."
"Well, you ought not to have said anything about it, John. It may be
that Mistress Nellie out of her goodness of heart might herself have
told, but that is no reason why anyone else should do so. I charge
you in future never to open your lips about that to anyone, no matter
who. I say not that any harm will come of it in this case, for Mr.
Harvey is indeed a sober and God-fearing man, and assuredly asked
only because he felt an interest in me, and from no idle curiosity.
Still, I would rather that he had not known of a matter touching the
honour of Mistress Nellie.
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