o have in a reasonable way and without any scandal. He had borne
with a calculated misunderstanding, with cool impertinence, even with
insult. But one thing he would not bear. He would not bear to be a
second time worsted by Mrs. Armine. He would not bear to be driven away.

If Hartley was governed by fear, well and good. If not, Isaacson would
stand a scene, provoke a scandal, even defy Nigel for his own sake.
Would that be necessary?

Well, he would soon know. He would know that night. Hartley had promised
to summon him in consultation that night.

"Meanwhile I simply must rest."

He spoke to himself as a doctor. And at last he went below, lay down in
his cabin with the wooden shutters drawn over the windows, and closed
his eyes. He had little hope of sleep. But sleep presently came. When he
woke, he heard voices quite near him. They seemed to come from the
water. He lay still and listened. They were natives' voices talking
violently. He began to get up. As he put his feet to the floor, he heard
a knock.

"Come in!" he called.

Hassan put in his head.

"The gentleman him here!"

"What gentleman? Not Doctor Hartley?"

"The sick gentleman."

Nigel! Was it possible? Isaacson sprang up and hurried on deck. There
was a boat from the _Loulia_ alongside, and on the upper deck was Doctor
Hartley walking restlessly about. He heard Isaacson and turned sharply.

"You've come to fetch me?" said Isaacson.

As he came up, he had noticed that already the sun had set. He had slept
for a long time.

"There's been a--a most unpleasant--a most distressing scene!" Hartley
said.

"Why, with whom?"

"With her--Mrs. Armine. What on earth have you done to set her against
you? She--she--really, it amounts to absolute hatred. Have you ever done
her any serious wrong?"

"Never!"

"I--I really think she must be hysterical. There's--there's the greatest
change in her."

He paused. Then, very abruptly, he said:

"Have you any idea how old she is?"

"I only know that she isn't thirty-eight," said Isaacson.

"Isn't thirty-eight!"

"She is older than that. She once told me so--in an indirect way."

Hartley looked at him with sudden suspicion.

"Then you've--you and she have known each other very well?"

"Never!"

"Till now I imagined her about thirty, thirty-two perhaps, something
like that."

"Till now?"

"Yes. She--to-day she looks suddenly almost like a--well--a middle-aged
woman. I never saw such a change."