If I were among your friends
I would be out of place and uncomfortable, and should always have
to be bowing and scraping and exchanging compliments, and besides
they would soon find out that my Spanish was doubtful. I talk a
sailor's slang, but I doubt if I should understand pure Spanish.
Altogether, I should be very uncomfortable, and should make you
uncomfortable, and I would very much rather take my place among
the men that work for you until I can get on board a ship again."
Geoffrey was installed in the portion of the house occupied by the
merchant, and was introduced by him to his friends simply as the
English gentleman who had rescued him and his daughter from the
hands of the Moors, it being incidentally mentioned that he had
sailed in the Armada, and that he had fallen into the hands of the
corsairs in the course of a voyage made with his friend Mr. Burke
to Italy. He at once took his place as a friend and assistant of
the merchant; and as the latter had many dealings with Dutch and
English merchants, Geoffrey was able to be of considerable use to
him in his written communications to the captains of the various
vessels of those nationalities in the port.
"I think," the merchant said to him a fortnight after his arrival
in Cadiz, "that, if it would not go against your conscience, it
would be most advisable that you should accompany me sometimes to
church.
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