Part 20 (1/2)
”You mistake me,” she said with impulsive earnestness. ”This is so extraordinarily unusual--sudden--outside my experience.”
”Aye!” he murmured, ”what would you know of danger and trouble? You! But perhaps by thinking it over--”
”You want me to think myself into a fright!” Mrs. Travers laughed lightly, and in the gloom of his thought this flash of joyous sound was incongruous and almost terrible. Next moment the night appeared brilliant as day, warm as suns.h.i.+ne; but when she ceased the returning darkness gave him pain as if it had struck heavily against his breast.
”I don't think I could do that,” she finished in a serious tone.
”Couldn't you?” He hesitated, perplexed. ”Things are bad enough to make it no shame. I tell you,” he said, rapidly, ”and I am not a timid man, I may not be able to do much if you people don't help me.”
”You want me to pretend I am alarmed?” she asked, quickly.
”Aye, to pretend--as well you may. It's a lot to ask of you--who perhaps never had to make-believe a thing in your life--isn't it?”
”It is,” she said after a time.
The unexpected bitterness of her tone struck Lingard with dismay.
”Don't be offended,” he entreated. ”I've got to plan a way out of this mess. It's no play either. Could you pretend?”
”Perhaps, if I tried very hard. But to what end?”
”You must all s.h.i.+ft aboard the brig,” he began, speaking quickly, ”and then we may get over this trouble without coming to blows. Now, if you were to say that you wish it; that you feel unsafe in the yacht--don't you see?”
”I see,” she p.r.o.nounced, thoughtfully.
”The brig is small but the cuddy is fit for a lady,” went on Lingard with animation.
”Has it not already sheltered a princess?” she commented, coolly.
”And I shall not intrude.”
”This is an inducement.”
”n.o.body will dare to intrude. You needn't even see me.”
”This is almost decisive, only--”
”I know my place.”
”Only, I might not have the influence,” she finished.
”That I can not believe,” he said, roughly. ”The long and the short of it is you don't trust me because you think that only people of your own condition speak the truth always.”
”Evidently,” she murmured.
”You say to yourself--here's a fellow deep in with pirates, thieves, n.i.g.g.e.rs--”
”To be sure--”
”A man I never saw the like before,” went on Lingard, headlong, ”a--ruffian.”