The
voice that had answered his question was Carter's voice. "He is hanging
about keeping his eye on me," he said to Mrs. Travers. She shook her
head and tried to smile. The man above coughed discreetly. "No," said
Lingard, "you must understand that you have nothing to give."
The man on deck who seemed to have lingered by the skylight was heard
saying quietly, "I am at hand if you want me, Mrs. Travers." Hassim and
Immada looked up. "You see," exclaimed Lingard. "What did I tell you?
He's keeping his eye on me! On board my own ship. Am I dreaming? Am I in
a fever? Tell him to come down," he said after a pause. Mrs. Travers
did so and Lingard thought her voice very commanding and very sweet.
"There's nothing in the world I love so much as this brig," he went on.
"Nothing in the world. If I lost her I would have no standing room on
the earth for my feet. You don't understand this. You can't."
Carter came in and shut the cabin door carefully. He looked with
serenity at everyone in turn.
"All quiet?" asked Lingard.
"Quiet enough if you like to call it so," he answered. "But if you only
put your head outside the door you'll hear them all on the quarter-deck
snoring against each other, as if there were no wives at home and no
pirates at sea."
"Look here," said Lingard.
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