Perhaps at first sight, sending that woman to Lingard was not the best
way toward that end. Jorgenson, however, had a distinct impression in
which his morning talk with Mrs. Travers had only confirmed him, that
those two had quarrelled for good. As, indeed, was unavoidable. What did
Tom Lingard want with any woman? The only woman in Jorgenson's life had
come in by way of exchange for a lot of cotton stuffs and several
brass guns. This fact could not but affect Jorgenson's judgment since
obviously in this case such a transaction was impossible. Therefore
the case was not serious. It didn't exist. What did exist was Lingard's
relation to the Wajo exiles, a great and warlike adventure such as no
rover in those seas had ever attempted.
That Tengga was much more ready to negotiate than to fight, the old
adventurer had not the slightest doubt. How Lingard would deal with him
was not a concern of Jorgenson's. That would be easy enough. Nothing
prevented Lingard from going to see Tengga and talking to him with
authority. All that ambitious person really wanted was to have a share
in Lingard's wealth, in Lingard's power, in Lingard's friendship. A year
before Tengga had once insinuated to Jorgenson, "In what way am I less
worthy of being a friend than Belarab?"
It was a distinct overture, a disclosure of the man's innermost mind.
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