My party will have other
gentlemen and ladies, not of mean station, I hope."
She looked at him, hesitating, studying. It was hardly a fair
contest, this of youth and scant experience against suavity and
shrewdness strengthened by years of public life.
"I am somewhat helpless, Sir," she said, at length. "To converse
with one so able as yourself,--what woman of my ambitions would not
be pleased with that? But I am a woman, and alone in the world. I
am already denounced as careless. There already has been talk.
Moreover, as you see, I am committed now fully to this great work
of freeing and sending from America the negro slaves. Take them
from this country. Replace them with three million men born closer
to freedom and citizenship--"
"Yes. But you are here somewhat mysteriously; you come privately
and secretly. What harm, then, if you return as privately and
secretly as you have come to Washington? Let your agents carry on
your work here. The mission on which I shall be engaged will have
to do with Louis Kossuth.
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