outh of the river--the northern entrance. You
will remember. Won't you? The northern branch. Lingard is--death."

Joanna shivered. Almayer went on rapidly--

"I would have given you money if you had wanted it. 'Pon my word! Tell
your husband I've sent you to him. And tell him not to lose any time.
And also say to him from me that we shall meet--some day. That I could
not die happy unless I met him once more. Only once. I love him, you
know. I prove it. Tremendous risk to me--this business is!"

Joanna snatched his hand and before he knew what she would be at,
pressed it to her lips.

"Mrs. Willems! Don't. What are you . . ." cried the abashed Almayer,
tearing his hand away.

"Oh, you are good!" she cried, with sudden exaltation, "You are noble
. . . I shall pray every day . . . to all the saints . . . I shall . . ."

"Never mind . . . never mind!" stammered out Almayer, confusedly,
without knowing very well what he was saying. "Only look out for
Lingard. . . . I am happy to be able . . . in your sad situation . . .
believe me. . . ."

They stood with the table between them, Joanna looking down, and her
face, in the half-light above the lamp, appeared like a soiled carving
of old ivory--a carving, with accentuated anxious hollows, of old, very
old ivory. Almayer looked at her, mistrustful, hopeful. He was saying
to himself: How frail she is! I could upset her by blowing at her. She
seems to have got some idea of what must be done, but will she have the
strength to carry it through? I must trust to luck now!

Somewhere far in the back courtyard Ali's voice rang suddenly in angry
remonstrance--

"Why did you shut the gate, O father of all mischief? You a watchman!
You are only a wild man. Did I not tell you I was coming back? You . . ."

"I am off, Mrs. Willems," exclaimed Almayer. "That man is here--with my
servant. Be calm. Try to . . ."

He heard the footsteps of the two men in the passage, and without
finishing his sentence ran rapidly down the steps towards the riverside.

CHAPTER TWO

For the next half-hour Almayer, who wanted to give Joanna plenty of
time, stumbled amongst the lumber in distant parts of his enclosure,
sneaked along the fences; or held his breath, flattened against grass
walls behind various outhouses: all this to escape Ali's inconveniently
zealous search for his master. He heard him talk with the head
watchman--sometimes quite close to him in the darkness--then moving off,
comin