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ballet between the acts of the opera had given him time to trace
me home。 I drew that plain conclusion in the moment that elapsed
before I opened the letter。 It informed me； in two lines； that he
was waiting in a by…street leading to the beach； and that； if I
failed to make my appearance in ten minutes； he should interpret
my absence as my invitation to him to call at the house。
〃What I went through yesterday must have hardened me； I suppose。
At any rate； after reading the letter； I felt more like the woman
I once was than I have felt for months past。 I put on my bonnet
and went downstairs； and left the house as if nothing had
happened。
〃He was waiting for me at the entrance to the street。
〃In the instant when we stood face to face； all my wretched life
with him came back to me。 I thought of my trust that he had
betrayed； I thought of the cruel mockery of a marriage that he
had practiced on me； when he knew that he had a wife living； I
thought of the time when I had felt despair enough at his
desertion of me to attempt my own life。 When I recalled all this；
and when the comparison between Midwinter and the mean； miserable
villain whom I had once believed in forced itself into my mind； I
knew for the first time what a woman feels when every atom of
respect for herself has left her。 If he had personally insulted
me at that moment； I believe I should have submitted to it。
〃But he had no idea of insulting me； in the more brutal meaning
of the word。 He had me at his mercy； and his way of making me
feel it was to behave with an elaborate mockery of penitence and
respect。 I let him speak as he pleased； without interrupting him；
without looking at him a second time； without even allowing my
dress to touch him； as we walked together toward the quieter part
of the beach。 I had noticed the wretched state of his clothes；
and the greedy glitter in his eyes； in my first look at him。 And
I knew it would endas it did endin a demand on me for money。
〃Yes！ After taking from me the last farthing I possessed of my
own； and the last farthing I could extort for him from my old
mistress； he turned on me as we stood by the margin of the sea；
and asked if I could reconcile it to my conscience to let him be
wearing such a coat as he then had on his back； and earning his
miserable living as a chorus…singer at the opera！
〃My disgust； rather than my indignation； roused me into speaking
to him at last。
〃 'You want money；' I said。 'Suppose I am too poor to give it to
you？'
〃 'In that case；' he replied； 'I shall be forced to remember that
you are a treasure in yourself。 And I shall be under the p ainful
necessity of pressing my claim to you on the attention of one of
those two gentlemen whom I saw with you at the operathe
gentleman； of course； who is now honored by your preference； and
who lives provisionally in the light of your smiles。'
〃I made him no answer； for I had no answer to give。 Disputing his
right to claim me from anybody would have been a mere waste of
words。 He knew as well as I did that he had not the shadow of a
claim on me。 But the mere attempt to raise it would； as he was
well aware； lead necessarily to the exposure of my whole past
life。
〃Still keeping silence； I looked out over the sea。 I don't know
why； except that I instinctively looked anywhere rather than look
at _him。_
〃A little sailing…boat was approaching the shore。 The man
steering was hidden from me by the sail； but the boat was so near
that I thought I recognized the flag on the mast。 I looked at my
watch。 Yes！ It was Armadale coming over from Santa Lucia at his
usual time； to visit us in his usual way。
〃Before I had put my watch back in my belt； the means of
extricating myself from the frightful position I was placed in
showed themselves to me as plainly as I see them now。
〃I turned and led the way to the higher part of the beach； where
some fishing…boats were drawn up which completely screened us
from the view of any one landing on the shore below。 Seeing
probably that I had a purpose of some kind； Manuel followed me
without uttering a word。 As soon as we were safely under the
shelter of the boats； I forced myself； in my own defense； to look
at him again。
〃 'What should you say；' I asked； 'if I was rich instead of poor？
What should you say if I could afford to give you a hundred
pounds？'
〃He started。 I saw plainly that he had not expected so much as
half the sum I had mentioned。 It is needless to add that his
tongue lied； while his face spoke the truth； and that when he
replied to me the answer was； 'Nothing like enough。'
〃 'Suppose；' I went on； without taking any notice of what he had
said； 'that I could show you a way of helping yourself to twice
as much three times as muchfive times as much as a hundred
pounds； are you bold enough to put out your hand and take it？'
〃The greedy glitter came into his eyes once more。 His voice
dropped low； in breathless expectation of my next words。
〃 'Who is the person？' he asked。 'And what is the risk？'
〃I answered him at once； in the plainest terms。 I threw Armadale
to him； as I might have thrown a piece of meat to a wild beast
who was pursuing me。
〃 'The person is a rich young Englishman；' I said。 'He has just
hired the yacht called the _Dorothea；_ in the harbor here； and he
stands in need of a sailing…master and a crew。 You were once an
officer in the Spanish navyyou speak English and Italian
perfectlyyou are thoroughly well acquainted with Naples and all
that belongs to it。 The rich young Englishman is ignorant of the
language； and the interpreter who assists him knows nothing of
the sea。 He is at his wits' end for want of useful help in this
strange place； he has no more knowledge of the world than that
child who is digging holes with a stick there in the sand； and he
carries all his money with him in circular notes。 So much for the
person。 As for the risk； estimate it for yourself。'
〃The greedy glitter in his eyes grew brighter and brighter with
every word I said。 He was plainly ready to face the risk before I
had done speaking。
〃 'When can I see the Englishman？' he asked； eagerly。
〃I moved to the seaward end of the fishing…boat； and saw that
Armadale was at that moment disembarking on the shore。
〃 'You can see him now；' I answered； and pointed to the place。
〃After a long look at Armadale walking carelessly up the slope of
the beach； Manuel drew back again under the shelter of the boat。
He waited a moment； considering something carefully with himself；
and put another question to me； in a whisper this time。
〃 'When the vessel is manned；' he said； 'and the Englishman sails
from Naples； how many friends sail with him？'
〃 'He has but two friends here；' I replied； 'that other gentleman
whom you saw with me at the opera； and myself。 He will invite us
both to sail with him； and when the time comes； we shall both
refuse。'
〃 'Do you answer for that？'
〃 'I answer for it positively。'
〃He walked a few steps away； and stood with his face hidden from
me； thinking again。 All I could see was that he took off his hat
and passed his handkerchief over his forehead。 All I could h