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the distant clash of a heavy
door…bolt drawn back。 Turning at once in the new direction； he
strained his eyes to look for a house。 The last faint rays of the
waning moonlight trembled here and there on the higher rocks； and
on the steeper pinnacles of ground； but great strips of darkness
lay dense and black over all the land between； and in that
darkness the house； if house there were； was lost to view。
〃I have roused somebody at last；〃 Allan called out；
encouragingly； to Midwinter； still walking to and fro on the
deck； strangely indifferent to all that was passing above and
beyond him。 〃Look out for the answering； hail！〃 And with his face
set toward the islet； Allan shouted for help。
The shout was not answered； but mimicked with a shrill； shrieking
derision； with wilder and wilder cries； rising out of the deep
distant darkness； and mingling horribly the expression of a human
voice with the sound of a brute's。 A sudden suspicion crossed
Allan's mind； which made his head swim and turned his hand cold
as it held the rigging。 In breathless silence he looked toward
the quarter from which the first mimicry of his cry for help had
come。 After a moment's pause the shrieks were renewed； and the
sound of them came nearer。 Suddenly a figure； which seemed the
figure of a man； leaped up black on a pinnacle of rock； and
capered and shrieked in the waning gleam of the moonlight。 The
screams of a terrified woman mingled with the cries of the
capering creature on the rock。 A red spark flashed out in the
darkness from a light kindled in an invisible window。 The hoarse
shouting of a man's voice in anger was heard through the noise。 A
second black figure leaped up on the rock； struggled with the
first figure； and disappeared with it in the darkness。 The cries
grew fainter and fainter； the screams of the woman were stilled；
the hoarse voice of the man was heard again for a moment； hailing
the wreck in words made unintelligible by the distance； but in
tones plainly expressive of rage and fear combined。 Another
moment； and the clang of the door…bolt was heard again； the red
spark of light was quenched in darkness； and all the islet lay
quiet in the shadows once more。 The lowing of the cattle on the
main…land ceased； rose again； stopped。 Then； cold and cheerless
as ever； the eternal bubbling of the broken water welled up
through the great gap of silencethe one sound left； as the
mysterious stillness of the hour fell like a mantle from the
heavens； and closed over the wreck。
Allan descended from his place in the mizzen…top； and joined his
friend again on deck。
〃We must wait till the ship…breakers come off to their work；〃 he
said； meeting Midwinter halfway in the course of his restless
walk。 〃After what has happened； I don't mind confessing that I've
had enough of hailing the land。 Only think of there being a
madman in that house ashore； and of my waking him！ Horrible；
wasn't it？〃
Midwinter stood still for a moment； and looked at Allan； with the
perplexed air of a man who hears circumstances familiarly
mentioned to which he is himself a total stranger。 He appeared；
if such a thing had been possible； to have passed over entirely
without notice all that had just happened on the Islet of the
Calf。
〃Nothing is horrible _out_ of this ship；〃 he said。 〃Everything is
horrible _in_ it。〃
Answering in those strange words； he turned away again； and went
on with his walk。
Allan picked up the flask of whisky lying on the deck near him；
and revived his spirits with a dram。 〃Here's one thing on board
that isn't horrible；〃 he retorted briskly； as he screwed on the
stopper of the flask； 〃and here's another；〃 he added； as he took
a cigar from his case and lit it。 〃Three o'clock！〃 he went on；
looking at his watch； and settling himself comfortably on deck
with his back against the bulwark。 〃Daybreak isn't far off； we
shall have the piping of the birds to cheer us up before long。 I
say； Midwinter； you seem to have quite got over that unlucky
fainting fit。 How you do keep walking！ Come here and have a
cigar； and make yourself comfortable。 What's the good of tramping
backward and forward in that restless way？〃
〃I am waiting；〃 said Midwinter。
〃Waiting！ What for？〃
〃For what is to happen to you or to meor to both of usbefore
we are out of this ship。〃
〃With submission to your superior judgment； my dear fellow； I
think quite enough has happened already。 The adventure will do
very well as it stands now； more of it is more than I want。〃 He
took another dram of whisky； and rambled on； between the puffs of
his cigar； in his usual easy way。 〃I've not got your fine
imagination； old boy； and I hope the next thing that happens will
be the appearance of the workmen's boat。 I suspect that queer
fancy of yours has been running away with you while you were down
here all by yourself。 Come； now； what were you thinking of while
I was up in the mizzen…top frightening the cows？〃
Midwinter suddenly stopped。 〃Suppose I tell you？〃 he said。
〃Suppose you do？〃
The torturing temptation to reveal the truth； roused once already
by his companion's merciless gayety of spirit； possessed itself
of Midwinter for the second time。 He leaned back in the dark
against the high side of the ship； and looked down in silence at
Allan's figure； stretched comfortably on the deck。 〃Rouse him；〃
the fiend whispered； subtly； 〃from that ignorant self…possession
and that pitiless repose。 Show him the place where the deed was
done； let him know it with your knowledge； and fear it with your
dread。 Tell him of the letter you burned； and of the words no
fire can destroy which are living in your memory now。 Let him see
your mind as it was yesterday； when it roused your sinking faith
in your own convictions； to look back on your life at sea； and to
cherish the comforting remembrance that； in all your voyages； you
had never fallen in with this ship。 Let him see your mind as it
is now； when the ship has got you at the turning…point of your
new life； at the outset of your friendship with the one man of
all men whom your father warned you to avoid。 Think of those
death…bed words； and whisper them in his ear； that he may think
of them； too： 'Hide yourself from him under an assumed name。 Put
the mountains and the seas between you； be ungrateful； be
unforgiving； be all that is most repellent to your own gentler
nature； rather than live under the same roof and breathe the same
air with that man。' 〃 So the tempter counseled。 So； like a
noisome exhalation from the father's grave； the father's
influence rose and poisoned the mind of the son。
The sudden silence surprised Allan； he looked back drowsily over
his shoulder。 〃Thinking again！〃 he exclaimed； with a weary yawn。
Midwinter stepped out from the shadow； and came nearer to Allan
than he had come yet。 〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃thinking of the past and
the future。〃
〃The past and the future？〃 repeated Allan； shifting himself
comfortably into a new position。 〃For my part； I'm dumb about the
past。 It's a sore subject with me： the past means the loss of the
doctor's boat。 Let's talk about the future。 Have you been taking
a practical view？ as dear old Bro