on of mind to look upon him from any other
but a strictly human standpoint. If he trusted her (how strange;
why should he? Was he wrong?) she accepted the trust with scrupulous
fairness. And when it dawned upon her that of all the men in the world
this unquestionably was the one she knew best, she had a moment of
wonder followed by an impression of profound sadness. It seemed an
unfortunate matter that concerned her alone.

Her thought was suspended while she listened attentively for the return
of the yacht's boat. She was dismayed at the task before her. Not a
sound broke the stillness and she felt as if she were lost in empty
space. Then suddenly someone amidships yawned immensely and said: "Oh,
dear! Oh, dear!" A voice asked: "Ain't they back yet?" A negative grunt
answered.

Mrs. Travers found that Lingard was touching, because he could be
understood. How simple was life, she reflected. She was frank with
herself. She considered him apart from social organization. She
discovered he had no place in it. How delightful! Here was a human
being and the naked truth of things was not so very far from her
notwithstanding the growth of centuries. Then it occurred to her that
this man by his action stripped her at once of her position, of her
wealth, of her rank, of her past. "I am helpless. What remains?" she
asked herself. Nothing! Anybody there might have suggested: "Your
presence." She was too artificial yet to think of her beauty; and yet
the power of personality is part of the naked truth of things.

She looked over her shoulder, and saw the light at the brig's
foreyard-arm burning with a strong, calm flame in the dust of starlight
suspended above the coast. She heard the heavy bump as of a boat run
headlong against the ladder. They were back! She rose in sudden and
extreme agitation. What should she say? How much? How to begin? Why say
anything? It would be absurd, like talking seriously about a dream.
She would not dare! In a moment she was driven into a state of mind
bordering on distraction. She heard somebody run up the gangway steps.
With the idea of gaining time she walked rapidly aft to the taffrail.
The light of the brig faced her without a flicker, enormous amongst the
suns scattered in the immensity of the night.

She fixed her eyes on it. She thought: "I shan't tell him anything.
Impossible. No! I shall tell everything." She expected every moment to
hear her husband's voice and the suspense was intolerab