I will
give up the sea, and become a steady fellow, and live at home, and make
you and my parents happy, and--'
'Oh! Mr Owen, if your parents were to hear you talking like this to me,
what would they say to you? what would they think of me? You should not
make a joke of my poverty and friendless state, sir. Anything else, but
not this! oh! not this! and from you.'
'I was never more in earnest in all my life, and ask for only one word
of encouragement from you to go and tell my and mother directly,'
'Oh! if you please, Mr Owen, do not do this. If are in earnest, sir, and
I hope you are not, you must forget that you ever said this to me.'
'I do not mean to forget it, Gladys, or to let you forget it. Will you
say the word? only give me hope and all will be right. Will you marry
me, and be the daughter of your adopted mother?'
'I can never marry any one, sir; I have nothing to live for in this
world, but to try to do my duty to you and yours, and to think of those
I have lost.'
'Gladys, your cold manner maddens me. Say you hate me, and would rather
marry some one else; say anything that has some heart in it. We sailors
are made of warmer stuff than such icebergs as you.'
'I cannot say that, sir, because I do not hate you; and I never mean to
marry, and I would sooner die than cause trouble in your family.
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