CHAPTERVIII
Atlast，onemorning，inaclearspotofaglassyhorizonchargedwithheraldicmassesofblackvapours，theislandgrewoutfromthesea，showinghereandthereitsnakedmembersofbasalticrockthroughtherentsofheavyfoliage。Later，inthegreatspillingofalltherichesofsunset，Malatastoodoutgreenandrosybeforeturningintoavioletshadowintheautumnallightoftheexpiringday。Thencamethenight。Inthefaintairstheschoonercreptonpastasturdysquatheadland，anditwaspitchdarkwhenherheadsailsrandown，sheturnedshortonherheel，andheranchorbitintothesandybottomontheedgeoftheouterreef；foritwastoodangerousthentoattemptenteringthelittlebayfullofshoals。AfterthelastsolemnflutterofthemainsailthemurmuringvoicesoftheMoorsompartylingered，veryfrail，intheblackstillness。
Theyweresittingaft，onchairs，andnobodymadeamove。Earlyintheday，whenithadbecomeevidentthatthewindwasfailing，Renouard，basinghisadviceontheshortcomingsofhisbachelorestablishment，hadurgedontheladiestheadvisabilityofnotgoingashoreinthemiddleofthenight。Nowheapproachedtheminaconstrainedmanneritwasastonishingtheconstraintthathadreignedbetweenhimandhisguestsallthroughthepassageandrenewedhisarguments。Nooneashorewoulddreamofhisbringinganyvisitorswithhim。Nobodywouldeventhinkofcomingoff。
Therewasonlyoneoldcanoeontheplantation。Andlandingintheschooner\'sboatswouldbeawkwardinthedark。Therewastheriskofgettingagroundonsomeshallowpatches。Itwouldbebesttospendtherestofthenightonboard。
Therewasreallynoopposition。Theprofessorsmokingapipe，andverycomfortableinanulsterbuttonedoverhistropicalclothes，wasthefirsttospeakfromhislongchair。