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When I think of getting her into trouble, I who would give my life just to bring one smile to her dear face, it's that that turns my soul into water.

And yet-and yet-what less could I do? I'll tell you my story, gentlemen, and then I'll ask you, as man to man, what less could I do?

"I must go back a bit.

You seem to know everything, so I expect that you know that I met her when she was a passenger and I was first officer of the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR.

From the first day I met her, she was the only woman to me.

Every day of that voyage I loved her more, and many a time since have I kneeled down in the darkness of the night watch and kissed the deck of that ship because I knew her dear feet had trod it.

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 all 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.

Then I met Mary herself- and met her again.

Then she would meet me no more.

But the other day I had a notice that I was to start on my voyage within a week, and I determined that I would see her once before I left.

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