utside of his cabin to do himself what had
been ordered.

When he reached the saloon some one entered at the same time from the
deck. It was Caragol, who was trying to block the passage of a woman;
but she, laughing and taking advantage of his purblind eyes, was
slipping little by little in between his body and the wooden partition.

On seeing the captain, Freya ran toward him, throwing out her arms.

"You!" she cried in a merry voice. "I knew well enough that you were
here, in spite of the fact that these men were assuring me to the
contrary.... My heart told me so.... How do you do, Ulysses!"

Caragol turned his eyes toward the place where he supposed the mate
must be, as though imploring his pardon. With females he never could
carry out any order.... Toni, on his part, appeared in an agony of
shame before this woman who was looking at him defiantly.

The two disappeared. Ferragut was not able to say exactly how they got
away, but he was glad of it. He feared that the recent arrival might
allude in their presence to the things of the past.

He remained contemplating her a long time. He had believed the day
before that he had recognized her back, and now he was sure that he
might have passed on with indifference had he seen her face. Was this
really the same woman that the two English officials were
accompanying?... She appeared much taller than the other one, with a
slenderness that made her skin appear more clear, giving it a delicate
transparency. The nose was finer and more prominent. The eyes were
sparkling, hidden in bluish black circles.

These eyes began to look at the captain, humbly and pleadingly.

"You!" exclaimed Ulysses in wonder. "You!... What are you coming here
for?"...

Freya replied with the timidity of a bondslave. Yes, it was she who had
recognized him the day before, long before he had seen her, and at once
had formed the plan of coming in search of him. He could beat her just
as at their last meeting: she was ready to suffer everything ... but
with him!

"Save me, Ulysses! Take me with you!... I implore you even more
anxiously than in Barcelona."

"What are you doing here?..."

She understood the captain's amazement on meeting her in a belligerent
country, the disquietude he must naturally feel upon finding a spy on
his vessel. She looked around in order to make sure that they were
entirely alone and spoke in a low voice. The doctor had sent her to
France in order that she should "