"Verywell，"Mrs。Traversassented，seriously。"Butinthatcasewehadbetternotremaintogether。"Sheasked，then，d’AlcacertogobelowandsitwithMr。Traverswhodidn’tliketobeleftalone。"Thoughhe，too，doesn’tseemtowanttobetoldanything，"sheadded，parenthetically，andwenton："ButImustaskyousomethingelse，Mr。d’Alcacer。Iproposetositdowninthischairandgotosleep——ifIcan。Willyoupromisetocallmeaboutfiveo’clock？Iprefernottospeaktoanyoneondeck，and，moreover，Icantrustyou。"
　　Hebowedinsilenceandwentawayslowly。Mrs。Travers，turningherhead，perceivedasteadylightatthebrig’syard—arm，verybrightamongthetarnishedstars。Shewalkedaftandlookedoverthetaffrail。Itwasexactlylikethatothernight。Shehalfexpectedtohearpresentlythelow，ripplingsoundofanadvancingboat。Buttheuniverseremainedwithoutasound。Whensheatlastdroppedintothedeckchairshewasabsolutelyattheendofherpowerofthinking。"Isupposethat’showthecondemnedmanagetogetsomesleeponthenightbeforetheexecution，"shesaidtoherselfamomentbeforehereyelidsclosedasifunderaleadenhand。
　　Shewokeup，withherfacewetwithtears，outofavividdreamofLingardinchain—mailarmourandvaguelyrecallingaCrusader，butbare—headedandwalkingawayfromherinthedepthsofanimpossiblelandscape。Shehurriedontocatchupwithhimbutathrongofbarbarianswithenormousturbanscamebetweenthematthelastmomentandshelostsightofhimforeverintheflurryofaghastlysand—storm。Whatfrightenedhermostwasthatshehadnotbeenabletoseehisface。Itwasthenthatshebegantocryoverherhardfate。Whenshewokeupthetearswerestillrollingdownhercheeksandsheperceivedinthelightofthedeck—lampd’Alcacerarrestedalittlewayoff。
　　"Didyouhavetospeaktome？"sheasked。
　　"No，"saidd’Alcacer。"Youdidn’tgivemetime。WhenIcameasfarasthisIfanciedIheardyousobbing。Itmusthavebeenadelusion。"
　　"Oh，no。Myfaceiswetyet。Itwasadream。Isupposeitisfiveo’clock。Thankyouforbeingsopunctual。Ihavesomethingtodobeforesunrise。"
　　D’Alcacermovednearer。"Iknow。Youhavedecidedtokeepanappointmentonthesandbank。Yourhusbanddidn’tuttertwentywordsinallthesehoursbuthemanagedtotellmethatpieceofnews。"
　　"Ishouldn’thavethought，"shemurmured，vaguely。
　　"Hewantedmetounderstandthatithadnoimportance，"statedd’Alcacerinaveryserioustone。
　　"Yes。Heknowswhatheistalkingabout，"saidMrs。Traversinsuchabittertoneastodisconcertd’Alcacerforamoment。"I
　　don’tseeasinglesoulaboutthedecks，"Mrs。Traverscontinued，almostdirectly。
　　"Theverywatchmenareasleep，"saidd’Alcacer。
　　"Thereisnothingsecretinthisexpedition，butIprefernottocallanyone。Perhapsyouwouldn’tmindpullingmeoffyourselfinoursmallboat。"
　　Itseemedtoherthatd’Alcacershowedsomehesitation。Sheadded："Ithasnoimportance，youknow。"
　　Hebowedhisassentandprecededherdownthesideinsilence。
　　Whensheenteredtheboathehadthescullsreadyanddirectlyshesatdownheshovedoff。Itwassodarkyetthatbutforthebrig’syard—armlighthecouldnothavekepthisdirection。Hepulledaverydeliberatestroke，lookingoverhisshoulderfrequently。ItwasMrs。Traverswhosawfirstthefaintgleamoftheuncoveredsandspitontheblack，quietwater。
　　"Alittlemoretotheleft，"shesaid。"No，theotherway……
　　"D’Alcacerobeyedherdirectionsbuthisstrokegrewevenslowerthanbefore。Shespokeagain。"Don’tyouthinkthattheuttermostfarthingshouldalwaysbepaid，Mr。d’Alcacer？"
　　D’Alcacerglancedoverhisshoulder，then："Itwouldbetheonlyhonourableway。Butitmaybehard。Toohardforourcommonfearfulhearts。"
　　"Iampreparedforanything。"
　　Heceasedpullingforamoment……"Anythingthatmaybefoundonasandbank，"Mrs。Traverswenton。"Onanarid，insignificant，anddesertedsandbank。"
　　D’Alcacergavetwostrokesandceasedagain。
　　"Thereisroomforawholeworldofsufferingonasandbank，forallthebitternessandresentmentahumansoulmaybemadetofeel。"
　　"Yes，Isupposeyouwouldknow，"shewhisperedwhilehegaveastrokeortwoandagainglancedoverhisshoulder。Shemurmuredthewords：
　　"Bitterness，resentment，"andamomentafterwardbecameawareofthekeeloftheboatrunninguponthesand。Butshedidn’tmove，andd’Alcacer，too，remainedseatedonthethwartwiththebladesofhisscullsraisedasifreadytodropthemandbackthedinghyoutintodeepwateratthefirstsign。
　　Mrs。Traversmadenosign，butsheasked，abruptly："Mr。
　　d’Alcacer，doyouthinkIshallevercomeback？"
　　Hertoneseemedtohimtolacksincerity。Butwhocouldtellwhatthisabruptnesscovered——sincerefearormerevanity？Heaskedhimselfwhethershewasplayingapartforhisbenefit，oronlyforherself。
　　"Idon’tthinkyouquiteunderstandthesituation，Mrs。Travers。
　　Idon’tthinkyouhaveaclearidea，eitherofhissimplicityorofhisvisionary’spride。"
　　Shethought，contemptuously，thattherewereotherthingswhichd’Alcacerdidn’tknowandsurrenderedtoasuddentemptationtoenlightenhimalittle。
　　"Youforgethiscapacityforpassionandthathissimplicitydoesn’tknowitsownstrength。"
　　Therewasnomistakingthesincerityofthatmurmur。"Shehasfeltit，"d’Alcacersaidtohimselfwithabsolutecertitude。Hewonderedwhen，where，how，onwhatoccasion？Mrs。Traversstoodupinthesternsheetssuddenlyandd’Alcacerleapedonthesandtohelpheroutoftheboat。
　　"Hadn’tIbetterhangaboutheretotakeyoubackagain？"hesuggested，asheletgoherhand。
　　"Youmustn’t！"sheexclaimed，anxiously。"Youmustreturntotheyacht。Therewillbeplentyoflightinanotherhour。IwillcometothisspotandwavemyhandkerchiefwhenIwanttobetakenoff。"
　　Attheirfeettheshallowwatersleptprofoundly，theghostlygleamofthesandsbaffledtheeyebyitslackofform。Faroff，thegrowthofbushesinthecentreraisedamassiveblackbulkagainstthestarstothesouthward。Mrs。Traverslingeredforamomentneartheboatasifafraidofthestrangesolitudeofthislonelysandbankandofthisloneseathatseemedtofillthewholeencirclinguniverseofremotestarsandlimitlessshadows。
　　"Thereisnobodyhere，"shewhisperedtoherself。
　　"Heissomewhereaboutwaitingforyou，orIdon’tknowtheman，"
　　affirmedd’Alcacerinanundertone。Hegaveavigorousshovewhichsentthelittleboatintothewater。
　　D’Alcacerwasperfectlyright。LingardhadcomeupondecklongbeforeMrs。Traverswokeupwithherfacewetwithtears。Theburialpartyhadreturnedhoursbeforeandthecrewofthebrigwereplungedinsleep，exceptfortwowatchmen，whoatLingard’sappearanceretreatednoiselesslyfromthepoop。Lingard，leaningontherail，fellintoasombrereverieofhispast。Reproachfulspectrescrowdedtheair，animatedandvocal，notinthearticulatelanguageofmortalsbutassailinghimwithfaintsobs，deepsighs，andfatefulgestures。Whenhecametohimselfandturnedabouttheyvanished，allbutonedarkshapewithoutsoundormovement。Lingardlookedatitwithsecrethorror。
　　"Who’sthat？"heaskedinatroubledvoice。
　　Theshadowmovedcloser："It’sonlyme，sir，"saidCarter，whohadleftorderstobecalleddirectlytheCaptainwasseenondeck。
　　"Oh，yes，Imighthaveknown，"mumbledLingardinsomeconfusion。
　　HerequestedCartertohaveaboatmannedandwhenafteratimetheyoungmantoldhimthatitwasready，hesaid"Allright！"
　　andremainedleaningonhiselbow。
　　"Ibegyourpardon，sir，"saidCarterafteralongishsilence，"butareyougoingsomedistance？"
　　"No，Ionlywanttobeputashoreonthesandbank。"
　　Carterwasrelievedtohearthis，butalsosurprised。"Thereisnothinglivingthere，sir，"hesaid。
　　"Iwonder，"mutteredLingard。
　　"ButIamcertain，"Carterinsisted。"Thelastofthewomenandchildrenbelongingtothosecut—throatsweretakenoffbythesampanswhichbroughtyouandtheyacht—partyout。"
　　HewalkedatLingard’selbowtothegangwayandlistenedtohisorders。
　　"Directlythereisenoughlighttoseeflagsby，makeasignaltotheschoonertoheaveshortonhercableandloosehersails。Ifthereisanyhangingbackgivethemablankgun，Mr。Carter。I
　　willhavenoshilly—shallying。Ifshedoesn’tgoattheword，byheavens，Iwilldriveherout。Iamstillmasterhere——foranotherday。"
　　Theoverwhelmingsenseofimmensity，ofdisturbingemptiness，whichaffectsthosewhowalkonthesandsinthemidstofthesea，intimidatedMrs。Travers。Theworldresembledalimitlessflatshadowwhichwasmotionlessandelusive。Thenagainstthesouthernstarsshesawahumanformthatisolatedandloneappearedtoherimmense：theshapeofagiantoutlinedamongsttheconstellations。Asitapproachedheritshranktocommonproportions，gotclearofthestars，lostitsawesomeness，andbecamemenacinginitsominousandsilentadvance。Mrs。Travershastenedtospeak。
　　"Youhaveaskedforme。Iamcome。Itrustyouwillhavenoreasontoregretmyobedience。"
　　Hewalkedupquiteclosetoher，bentdownslightlytopeerintoherface。ThefirstofthetropicaldawnputitscharacteristiccoldsheenintotheskyabovetheShoreofRefuge。
　　Mrs。Traversdidnotturnawayherhead。
　　"Areyoulookingforachangeinme？No。Youwon’tseeit。NowI
　　knowthatIcouldn’tchangeevenifIwantedto。Iammadeofclaythatistoohard。"
　　"Iamlookingatyouforthefirsttime，"saidLingard。"Inevercouldseeyoubefore。Thereweretoomanythings，toomanythoughts，toomanypeople。No，Ineversawyoubefore。Butnowtheworldisdead。"
　　Hegraspedhershoulders，approachinghisfaceclosetohers。Sheneverflinched。
　　"Yes，theworldisdead，"shesaid。"Lookyourfillthen。Itwon’tbeforlong。"
　　Helethergoassuddenlyasthoughshehadstruckhim。Thecoldwhitelightofthetropicaldawnhadcreptpastthezenithnowandtheexpanseoftheshallowwaterslookedcold，too，withoutstirorripplewithintheenormousrimofthehorizonwhere，tothewest，ashadowlingeredstill。
　　"Takemyarm，"hesaid。
　　Shedidsoatonce，andturningtheirbacksonthetwoshipstheybegantowalkalongthesands，buttheyhadnotmademanystepswhenMrs。Traversperceivedanoblongmoundwithaboardplanteduprightatoneend。Mrs。Traversknewthatpartofthesands。Itwasheresheusedtowalkwithherhusbandandd’Alcacereveryeveningafterdinner，whiletheyachtlaystrandedandherboatswereawayinsearchofassistance——whichtheyhadfound——whichtheyhadfound！Thiswassomethingthatshehadneverseentherebefore。Lingardhadsuddenlystoppedandlookedatitmoodily。
　　Shepressedhisarmtorousehimandasked，"Whatisthis？"
　　"Thisisagrave，"saidLingardinalowvoice，andstillgazingattheheapofsand。"Ihadhimtakenoutoftheshiplastnight。
　　Strange，"hewentoninamusingtone，"howmuchagravebigenoughforonemanonlycanhold。Hismessagewastoforgeteverything。"
　　"Never，never，"murmuredMrs。Travers。"IwishIhadbeenonboardtheEmma……Youhadamadmanthere，"shecriedout，suddenly。Theymovedonagain，LingardlookingatMrs。Traverswhowasleaningonhisarm。
　　"Iwonderwhichofustwowasmad，"hesaid。
　　"Iwonderyoucanbeartolookatme，"shemurmured。ThenLingardspokeagain。
　　"Ihadtoseeyouoncemore。"
　　"ThatabominableJorgenson，"shewhisperedtoherself。
　　"No，no，hegavememychance——beforehegavemeup。"
　　Mrs。TraversdisengagedherarmandLingardstopped，too，facingherinalongsilence。
　　"Icouldnotrefusetomeetyou，"saidMrs。Traversatlast。"I
　　couldnotrefuseyouanything。YouhavealltherightonyoursideandIdon’tcarewhatyoudoorsay。ButIwonderatmyowncouragewhenIthinkoftheconfessionIhavetomake。"Sheadvanced，laidherhandonLingard’sshoulderandspokeearnestly。"Ishudderedatthethoughtofmeetingyouagain。Andnowyoumustlistentomyconfession。"
　　"Don’tsayaword，"saidLingardinanuntroubledvoiceandnevertakinghiseyesfromherface。"Iknowalready。"
　　"Youcan’t，"shecried。Herhandslippedoffhisshoulder。"Thenwhydon’tyouthrowmeintothesea？"sheasked，passionately。
　　"AmItoliveonhatingmyself？"
　　"Youmustn’t！"hesaidwithanaccentoffear。"Haven’tyouunderstoodlongagothatifyouhadgivenmethatringitwouldhavebeenjustthesame？"
　　"AmItobelievethis？No，no！Youaretoogeneroustoameresham。Youarethemostmagnanimousofmenbutyouarethrowingitawayonme。DoyouthinkitisremorsethatIfeel？No。Ifitisanythingitisdespair。Butyoumusthaveknownthat——andyetyouwantedtolookatmeagain。"
　　"ItoldyouIneverhadachancebefore，"saidLingardinanunmovedvoice。"ItwasonlyafterIheardtheygaveyoutheringthatIfelttheholdyouhavegotonme。HowcouldItellbefore？
　　Whathashateorlovetodowithyouandme？Hate。Love。Whatcantouchyou？Formeyoustandabovedeathitself；forIseenowthataslongasIliveyouwillneverdie。"
　　Theyconfrontedeachotheratthesouthernedgeofthesandsasifafloatontheopensea。Thecentralridgeheapedupbythewindsmaskedfromthemtheverymastheadsofthetwoshipsandthegrowingbrightnessofthelightonlyaugmentedthesenseoftheirinvinciblesolitudeintheawfulserenityoftheworld。
　　Mrs。Traverssuddenlyputherarmacrosshereyesandavertedherface。
　　Thenheadded：
　　"That’sall。"
　　Mrs。Traversletfallherarmandbegantoretracehersteps，unsupportedandalone。Lingardfollowedherontheedgeofthesanduncoveredbytheebbingtide。AbeltoforangelightappearedinthecoldskyabovetheblackforestoftheShoreofRefugeandfadedquicklytogoldthatmeltedsoonintoablindingandcolourlessglare。ItwasnottillaftershehadpassedJaffir’sgravethatMrs。Traversstoleabackwardglanceanddiscoveredthatshewasalone。Lingardhadlefthertoherself。
　　Shesawhimsittingnearthemoundofsand，hisbackbowed，hishandsclaspinghisknees，asifhehadobeyedtheinvinciblecallofhisgreatvisionshauntingthegraveofthefaithfulmessenger。ShadinghereyeswithherhandMrs。Traverswatchedtheimmobilityofthatmanofinfiniteillusions。Henevermoved，heneverraisedhishead。Itwasallover。Hewasdonewithher。
　　Shewaitedalittlelongerandthenwentslowlyonherway。
　　Shaw，nowactingsecondmateoftheyacht，cameoffwithanotherhandinalittleboattotakeMrs。Traversonboard。Hestaredatherlikeanoffendedowl。Howtheladycouldsuddenlyappearatsunrisewavingherhandkerchieffromthesandbankhecouldnotunderstand。For，evenifshehadmanagedtorowherselfoffsecretlyinthedark，shecouldnothavesenttheemptyboatbacktotheyacht。ItwastoShawasortofimpropermiracle。
　　D’AlcacerhurriedtothetopofthesideladderandastheymetondeckMrs。Traversastonishedhimbysayinginastrangelyprovokingtone：
　　"Youwereright。Ihavecomeback。"Thenwithalittlelaughwhichimpressedd’Alcacerpainfullysheaddedwithanoddownward，"andMartin，too，wasperfectlyright。Itwasabsolutelyunimportant。"
　　Shewalkedonstraighttothetaffrailandd’Alcacerfollowedheraft，alarmedatherwhiteface，atherbrusquemovements，atthenervouswayinwhichshewasfumblingatherthroat。Hewaiteddiscreetlytillsheturnedroundandthrustouttowardhimheropenpalmonwhichhesawathickgoldringsetwithalargegreenstone。
　　"Lookatthis，Mr。d’Alcacer。ThisisthethingwhichIaskedyouwhetherIshouldgiveuporconceal——thesymbolofthelasthour——thecallofthesuprememinute。Andhesaiditwouldhavemadenodifference！Heisthemostmagnanimousofmenandtheuttermostfarthinghasbeenpaid。Hehasdonewithme。Themostmagnanimous……butthereisagraveonthesandsbywhichI
　　lefthimsittingwithnoglancetospareforme。Hislastglanceonearth！Iamleftwiththisthing。Absolutelyunimportant。A
　　deadtalisman。"Withanervousjerksheflungtheringoverboard，thenwithahurriedentreatytod’Alcacer，"Stayhereamoment。
　　Don’tletanybodycomenearus，"sheburstintotearsandturnedherbackonhim。
　　LingardreturnedonboardhisbrigandintheearlyafternoontheLightninggotunderway，runningpasttheschoonertogiveheraleadthroughthemazeofShoals。Lingardwasondeckbutneverlookedonceatthefollowingvessel。DirectlybothshipswereinclearwaterhewentbelowsayingtoCarter："Youknowwhattodo。"
　　"Yes，sir，"saidCarter。
　　ShortlyafterhisCaptainhaddisappearedfromthedeckCarterlaidthemaintopsailtothemast。TheLightninglostherwaywhiletheschoonerwithallherlightkitesabroadpassedcloseunderhersternholdingonhercourse。Mrs。Traversstoodaftveryrigid，grippingtherailwithbothhands。Thebrimofherwhitehatwasblownupwardononesideandheryachtingskirtstirredinthebreeze。Byhersided’Alcacerwavedhishandcourteously。Carterraisedhiscaptothem。
　　Duringtheafternoonhepacedthepoopwithmeasuredsteps，withapairofbinocularsinhishand。Atlasthelaidtheglassesdown，glancedatthecompass—cardandwalkedtothecabinskylightwhichwasopen。
　　"Justlosther，sir，"hesaid。Allwasstilldownthere。Heraisedhisvoicealittle：
　　"YoutoldmetoletyouknowdirectlyIlostsightoftheyacht。"
　　ThesoundofastifledgroanreachedtheattentiveCarterandawearyvoicesaid，"Allright，Iamcoming。"
　　WhenLingardsteppedoutonthepoopoftheLightningtheopenwaterhadturnedpurplealreadyintheeveninglight，whiletotheeasttheShallowsmadeasteelyglitterallalongthesombrelineoftheshore。Lingard，withfoldedarms，lookedoverthesea。Carterapproachedhimandspokequietly。
　　"Thetidehasturnedandthenightiscomingon。Hadn’twebettergetawayfromtheseShoals，sir？"
　　Lingarddidnotstir。
　　"Yes，thenightiscomingon。Youmayfillthemaintopsail，Mr。
　　Carter，"hesaidandherelapsedintosilencewithhiseyesfixedinthesouthernboardwheretheshadowswerecreepingstealthilytowardthesettingsun。PresentlyCarterstoodathiselbowagain。
　　"Thebrigisbeginningtoforgeahead，sir，"hesaidinawarningtone。
　　Lingardcameoutofhisabsorptionwithadeeptremorofhispowerfulframeliketheshudderofanuprootedtree。
　　"Howwastheyachtheadingwhenyoulostsightofher？"heasked。
　　"Southasnearaspossible，"answeredCarter。"Willyougivemeacoursetosteerforthenight，sir？"
　　Lingard’slipstrembledbeforehespokebuthisvoicewascalm。
　　"Steernorth，"hesaid。
　　End