Armadale

'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 navy—you speak English and Italian perfectly—you 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 hear was that he talked to himself excitedly in his own language.

'There was a change in him when he came back. His face had turned to a livid yellow, and his eyes looked at me with a hideous distrust.

''One last question,' he said, and suddenly came closer to me, suddenly spoke with a marked emphasis on his next words: 'What is your interest in this?'

'I started back from him. The question reminded me that I had an interest in the matter, which was entirely unconnected with the interest of keeping Manuel and Midwinter apart. Thus far I had only remembered that Midwinter's fatalism had smoothed the way for me, by abandoning Armadale beforehand to any stranger who might come forward to help him. Thus far the sole object I had kept in view was to protect myself, by the sacrifice of Armadale, from the exposure that threatened me. I tell no lies to my Diary. I don't affect to have felt a moment's consideration for the interests of Armadale's purse or the safety of Armadale's life. I hated him too savagely to care what pitfalls my tongue might be the means of opening under his feet. But I certainly did not see (until that last question was put to me) that, in serving his own designs, Manuel might—if he dared go all lengths for the money—be serving my designs too. The one overpowering anxiety to protect myself from exposure before Midwinter had (I suppose) filled all my mind, to the exclusion of everything else.

'Finding that I made no reply for the moment, Manuel reiterated his question, putting it in a new form.

''You have cast your Englishman at me,' he said, 'like the sop to Cerberus. Would you have been quite so ready to do that if you had not had a motive of your own? I repeat my question. You have an interest in this—what is it?'

''I have two interests,' I answered. 'The interest of forcing you to respect my position here, and the interest of ridding myself of the sight of you at once and forever!' I spoke with a boldness he had not yet heard from me. The sense that I was making the villain an instrument in my hands, and forcing him to help my purpose blindly, while he was helping his own, roused my spirits, and made me feel like myself again.

'He laughed. 'Strong language, on certain occasions, is a lady's privilege,' he said. 'You may, or may not, rid yourself of the sight of me, at once and forever. We will leave that question to be settled in the future. But your other interest in this matter puzzles me. You have told me all I need know about the Englishman and his yacht, and you have made no conditions before you opened your lips. Pray, how are you to force me, as you say, to respect your position here?'

''I will tell you how,' I rejoined. 'You shall hear my conditions first. I insist on your leaving me in five minutes more. I insist on your never again coming near the house where I live; and I forbid your attempting to communicate in any way either with me or with that other gentleman whom you saw with me at the theater—'

''And suppose I say no?' he interposed. 'In that case, what will you do?'

''In that case,' I answered, 'I shall say two words in private to the rich young Englishman, and you will find yourself back again among the chorus at the opera.'

''You are a bold woman to take it for granted that I have my designs on the Englishman already, and that I am certain to succeed in them. How do you know—?'

''I know you,' I said. 'And that is enough.'

'There was a moment's silence between us. He looked at me, and I looked at him. We understood each other.

'He was the first to speak. The villainous smile died out of his face, and his voice dropped again distrustfully to its lowest tones.