\"——\"HowmanychangesofclothesshallIputup，sir？\"askedthesteward，whileLingardtookthepistolsfromhimandeasedthehammersafterputtingonfreshcaps。——\"Iwilltakenothingthistime，steward。\"Hereceivedinturnfromthemulatto’shandsaredsilkhandkerchief，apocketbook，acigar—case。Heknottedthehandkerchieflooselyroundhisthroat；itwasevidenthewasgoingthroughtheroutineofeverydeparturefortheshore；heevenopenedthecigar—casetoseewhetherithadbeenfilled。——\"Hat，sir，\"murmuredthehalf—caste。Lingardflungitonhishead。——\"Takeyourordersfromthislady，steward——tillIcomeback。Thecabinishers——doyouhear？\"Hesighedreadytogoandseemedunabletoliftafoot。——\"Iamcomingwithyou，\"declaredMrs。Traverssuddenlyinatoneofunalterabledecision。Hedidnotlookather；hedidnotevenlookup；hesaidnothing，tillafterCarterhadcried：\"Youcan’t，Mrs。Travers！\"——whenwithoutbudginghewhisperedtohimself：——\"Ofcourse。\"Mrs。Travershadpulledalreadythehoodofhercloakoverherheadandherfacewithinthedarkclothhadturnedanintenseandunearthlywhite，inwhichthevioletofhereyesappearedunfathomablymysterious。
Carterstartedforward。——\"Youdon’tknowthisman，\"healmostshouted。
\"Idoknowhim，\"shesaid，andbeforethereproachfullyunbelievingattitudeoftheothersheadded，speakingslowlyandwithemphasis：\"Thereisnot，Iverilybelieve，asinglethoughtoractofhislifethatIdon’tknow。\"——\"It’strue——it’strue，\"
mutteredLingardtohimself。Carterthrewuphisarmswithagroan。\"Standback，\"saidavoicethatsoundedtohimlikeagrowlofthunder，andhefeltagriponhishandwhichseemedtocrusheverybone。Hejerkeditaway。——\"Mrs。Travers！stay，\"hecried。Theyhadvanishedthroughtheopendoorandthesoundoftheirfootstepshadalreadydiedaway。Carterturnedaboutbewilderedasiflookingforhelp。——\"Whoishe，steward？Whointhenameofallthemaddevilsishe？\"heasked，wildly。Hewasconfoundedbythecoldandphilosophicaltoneoftheanswer：——\"’Tain’tmyplacetotroubleaboutthat，sir——noryoursIguess。\"——\"Isn’tit！\"shoutedCarter。\"Why，hehascarriedtheladyoff。\"Thestewardwaslookingcriticallyatthelampandafterawhilescrewedthelightdown。——\"That’sbetter，\"hemumbled。——\"GoodGod！Whatisafellowtodo？\"continuedCarter，lookingatHassimandImmadawhowerewhisperingtogetherandgavehimonlyanabsentglance。Herushedondeckandwasstruckblindinstantlybythenightthatseemedtohavebeenlyinginwaitforhim；hestumbledoversomethingsoft，kickedsomethinghard，flunghimselfontherail。\"Comeback，\"hecried。\"Comeback。Captain！Mrs。Travers！——orletmecome，too。\"
Helistened。Thebreezeblewcoolagainsthischeek。Ablackbandageseemedtolieoverhiseyes。\"Gone，\"hegroaned，utterlycrushed。AndsuddenlyheheardMrs。Travers’voiceremoteinthedepthsofthenight。——\"Defendthebrig，\"itsaid，andthesewords，pronouncingthemselvesintheimmensityofalightlessuniverse，thrilledeveryfibreofhisbodybythecommandingsadnessoftheirtone。\"Defend，defendthebrig。\"……\"IamdamnedifIdo，\"shoutedCarterindespair。\"Unlessyoucomeback！……Mrs。Travers！\"