boat, and saw that Armadale
was at that moment disembarking on the shore.

"'You can see him now,' I answered, and pointed to the place.

"After a long look at Armadale walking carelessly up the slope of the
beach, Manuel drew back again under the shelter of the boat. He waited
a moment, considering something carefully with himself, and put another
question to me, in a whisper this time.

"'When the vessel is manned,' he said, 'and the Englishman sails from
Naples, how many friends sail with him?'

"'He has but two friends here,' I replied; 'that other gentleman whom
you saw with me at the opera, and myself. He will invite us both to sail
with him; and when the time comes, we shall both refuse.'

"'Do you answer for that?'

"'I answer for it positively.'

"He walked a few steps away, and stood with his face hidden from me,
thinking again. All I could see was that he took off his hat and passed
his handkerchief over his forehead. All I could hear was that he talked
to himself excitedly in his own language.

"There was a change in him when he came back. His face had turned to a
livid yellow, and his eyes looked at me with a hideous distrust.

"'One last question,' he said, and suddenly came closer to me, suddenly
spoke with a marked emphasis on his next words: '_What is your interest
in this_?'

"I started back from him. The question reminded me that I _had_ an
interest in the matter, which was entirely unconnected with the interest
of keeping Manuel and Midwinter apart. Thus far I had only remembered
that Midwinter's fatalism had smoothed the way for me, by abandoning
Armadale beforehand to any stranger who might come forward to help him.
Thus far the sole object I had kept in view was to protect myself, by
the sacrifice of Armadale, from the exposure that threatened me. I
tell no lies to my Diary. I don't affect to have felt a moment's
consideration for the interests of Armadale's purse or the safety of
Armadale's life. I hated him too savagely to care what pitfalls my
tongue might be the means of opening under his feet. But I certainly did
not see (until that last question was put to me) that, in serving his
own designs, Manuel might--if he dared go all lengths for the money--be
serving my designs too. The one overpowering anxiety to protect myself
from exposure before Midwinter had (I suppose) filled all my mind, to
the exclusion of everything else.

"Finding that I made no reply for the moment, Manuel re