Let
me look at the description again. The greater part of it is not worth
two straws for any purpose of identification; hundreds of young ladies
have tall figures, fair complexions, light brown hair, and light gray
eyes. You will say, on the other hand, hundreds of young ladies have not
got two little moles close together on the left side of the neck. Quite
true. The moles supply us with what we scientific men call a Crucial
Test. When my niece comes downstairs, sir, you have my full permission
to take the liberty of looking at her neck."
Noel Vanstone expressed his high approval of the Crucial Test by
smirking and simpering for the first time that morning.
"Of looking at her neck," repeated the captain, returning the note to
his visitor, and then making for the door. "I will go upstairs myself,
Mr. Vanstone," he continued, "and inspect Miss Bygrave's walking-dress.
If she has innocently placed any obstacles in your way, if her hair is
a little too low, or her frill is a little too high, I will exert my
authority, on the first harmless pretext I can think of, to have those
obstacles removed. All I ask is, that you will choose your opportunity
discreetly, and that you will not allow my niece to suppose that her
neck is the object of a gentleman's inspection.
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