So what
could he do? But, bidding Vernon wait, he left the coffee-room, and soon
returned with an order signed by De Guy, whom, Maxwell affirmed, he had
been so fortunate as to meet at the Exchange.
"But of what use is this paper? The girl cannot read. Shall I take the
keys from her?" asked Vernon.
"The note will be sufficient. Show it to her; she will pretend to read
it, and would, if it were in Hebrew or Sanscrit," said Maxwell, who then
repeated the caution he had before given, not to betray the fact of his
presence in the city.
Vernon presented the note to the negress, who, with a business-like air,
opened it; and, though he could perceive that she held it up-side down,
she examined it long and attentively, sputtering with her thick lips, as
though actually engaged in the to her impossible operation of reading
it.
"Dis alters de case, Massa. Why you no show dis paper before?" said
Dido, with an air of huge importance, which would have done credit to
the captain of a country company of militia.
"Open the door, and don't stop to chatter!" replied Vernon.
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