John
Effingham would hazard all the French gloves in his trunks, against all
the English finery in yours, that the inquisitor just hinted at gets at
your secret before we arrive. Perhaps I ought rather to say, ascertains
that you are not Mr. Sharp, and that Mr. Blunt is."
Her companion entreated her to point out the person to whom she had given
the _sobriquet_ she mentioned.
"Accuse me of giving nicknames to no one. The man has this title from
Mademoiselle Viefville, and his own great deeds. It is a certain Mr.
Steadfast Dodge, who, it seems, knows something of us, from the
circumstance of living in the same county, and who, from knowing a little
in this comprehensive manner, is desirous of knowing a great deal more."
"The natural result of all useful knowledge."
"Mr. John Effingham, who is apt to fling sarcasms at all lands, his native
country included, affirms that this gentleman is but a fair specimen of
many more it will be our fortune to meet in America. If so, we shall not
long be strangers; for according to Mademoiselle Viefville and my good
Nanny, he has already communicated to them a thousand interesting
particulars of himself, in exchange for which he asks no more than the
reasonable compensation of having all his questions concerning us truly
answered.
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