The girl belonged to a peasant family,
I may tell you; she led, on the whole, a decidedly adventurous life,
and died suddenly on a ship in which she was returning to the old
country from America. I gather that she never knew her husband's
aristocratic connexion. Of course, I was discretion itself whilst
making these inquiries, and I feel pretty sure that no claim will
ever be made from that quarter--the peasant family--on our friend's
estate."
"Why, then," exclaimed Gammon, "what is to prevent Mrs. Clover from
coming forward? She knows nothing; she needn't ever hear a word."
"Gammon, you surprise me. Clearly you haven't the legal mind. How
could you reconcile yourself to stand by whilst the law of your
country was so grossly defeated?"
"Humbug! Don't use such long words, old chap. But perhaps Polperro's
family knew of the marriage?"
"They did not, I can assure you. Our friend was the kind of man who
doesn't like the class in which he was born; he preferred a humbler
station. He was never on very good terms with his relatives.
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