in
its form.

The impressed d'Alcacer had to make an effort to bring himself to tap
him lightly on the shoulder.

"The moment has come, Travers, to show some fortitude," he said with
easy intimacy. Mr. Travers looked up swiftly. "I have just been talking
to your wife. She had a communication from Captain Lingard for us both.
It remains for us now to preserve as much as possible our dignity. I
hope that if necessary we will both know how to die."

In a moment of profound stillness, d'Alcacer had time to wonder whether
his face was as stony in expression as the one upturned to him. But
suddenly a smile appeared on it, which was certainly the last thing
d'Alcacer expected to see. An indubitable smile. A slightly contemptuous
smile.

"My wife has been stuffing your head with some more of her nonsense."
Mr. Travers spoke in a voice which astonished d'Alcacer as much as the
smile, a voice that was not irritable nor peevish, but had a distinct
note of indulgence. "My dear d'Alcacer, that craze has got such a hold
of her that she would tell you any sort of tale. Social impostors,
mediums, fortune-tellers, charlatans of all sorts do obtain a strange
influence over women. You have seen that sort of thing yourself. I had a
talk with her before dinner. The influence that bandit has got over her
is incredible. I really believe the fellow is half crazy himself. They
often are, you know. I gave up arguing with her. Now, what is it you
have got to tell me? But I warn you that I am not going to take it
seriously."

He rejected briskly the cotton sheet, put his feet to the ground and
buttoned his jacket. D'Alcacer, as he talked, became aware by the slight
noise behind him that Mrs. Travers and Lingard were leaving the Cage,
but he went on to the end and then waited anxiously for the answer.

"See! She has followed him out on deck," were Mr. Travers' first words.
"I hope you understand that it is a mere craze. You can't help seeing
that. Look at her costume. She simply has lost her head. Luckily the
world needn't know. But suppose that something similar had happened at
home. It would have been extremely awkward. Oh! yes, I will come. I will
go anywhere. I can't stand this hulk, those people, this infernal Cage.
I believe I should fall ill if I were to remain here."

The inward detached voice of Jorgenson made itself heard near the
gangway saying: "The boat has been waiting for this hour past, King
Tom."

"Let us make a virtue o