Iknewwhatitwasasshecametowardme. FortenminutesIhadwatchedhertalkingearnestlywiththeengineer,andnow,withasignforsilence,Idrewheroutofearshotofthehelmsman. Herfacewaswhiteandset;herlargeeyes,largerthanusualwhatofthepurposeinthem,lookedpenetratinglyintomine. Ifeltrathertimidandapprehensive,forshehadcometosearchHumphreyVanWeyden’ssoul,andHumphreyVanWeydenhadnothingofwhichtobeparticularlyproudsincehisadventontheGhost. Wewalkedtothebreakofthepoop,wheresheturnedandfacedme.Iglancedaroundtoseethatnoonewaswithinhearingdistance. “Whatisit?”Iaskedgently;buttheexpressionofdeterminationonherfacedidnotrelax. “Icanreadilyunderstand,”shebegan,“thatthismorning’saffairwaslargelyanaccident;butIhavebeentalkingwithMr.Haskins. Hetellsmethatthedaywewererescued,evenwhileIwasinthecabin,twomenweredrowned,deliberatelydrowned—murdered.” Therewasaqueryinhervoice,andshefacedmeaccusingly,asthoughIwereguiltyofthedeed,oratleastapartytoit. “Theinformationisquitecorrect,”Ianswered.“Thetwomenweremurdered.” “Andyoupermittedit!”shecried. “Iwasunabletopreventit,isabetterwayofphrasingit,”Ireplied,stillgently. “Butyoutriedtopreventit?”Therewasanemphasisonthe“tried,”andapleadinglittlenoteinhervoice. “Oh,butyoudidn’t,”shehurriedon,diviningmyanswer.“Butwhydidn’tyou?” Ishruggedmyshoulders.“Youmustremember,MissBrewster,thatyouareanewinhabitantofthislittleworld,andthatyoudonotyetunderstandthelawswhichoperatewithinit. Youbringwithyoucertainfineconceptionsofhumanity,manhood,conduct,andsuchthings;buthereyouwillfindthemmisconceptions. Ihavefounditso,”Iadded,withaninvoluntarysigh. Sheshookherheadincredulously. “Whatwouldyouadvise,then?”Iasked.“ThatIshouldtakeaknife,oragun,oranaxe,andkillthisman?” “ThenwhatshouldIdo?Killmyself?” “Youspeakinpurelymaterialisticterms,”sheobjected.“Thereissuchathingasmoralcourage,andmoralcourageisneverwithouteffect.” “Ah,”Ismiled,“youadvisemetokillneitherhimnormyself,buttolethimkillme.” Iheldupmyhandasshewasabouttospeak. “Formoralcourageisaworthlessassetonthislittlefloatingworld. Leach,oneofthemenwhoweremurdered,hadmoralcouragetoanunusualdegree.Sohadtheotherman,Johnson. Notonlydiditnotstandthemingoodstead,butitdestroyedthem. AndsowithmeifIshouldexercisewhatlittlemoralcourageImaypossess. “Youmustunderstand,MissBrewster,andunderstandclearly,thatthismanisamonster.Heiswithoutconscience. Nothingissacredtohim,nothingistooterribleforhimtodo. ItwasduetohiswhimthatIwasdetainedaboardinthefirstplace. ItisduetohiswhimthatIamstillalive. Idonothing,candonothing,becauseIamaslavetothismonster,asyouarenowaslavetohim;becauseIdesiretolive,asyouwilldesiretolive;becauseIcannotfightandovercomehim,justasyouwillnotbeabletofightandovercomehim.” “Whatremains?Mineistheroleoftheweak. Iremainsilentandsufferignominy,asyouwillremainsilentandsufferignominy.Anditiswell. Itisthebestwecandoifwewishtolive.Thebattleisnotalwaystothestrong. Wehavenotthestrengthwithwhichtofightthisman;wemustdissimulate,andwin,ifwinwecan,bycraft. Ifyouwillbeadvisedbyme,thisiswhatyouwilldo. Iknowmypositionisperilous,andImaysayfranklythatyoursisevenmoreperilous. Wemuststandtogether,withoutappearingtodoso,insecretalliance. Ishallnotbeabletosidewithyouopenly,and,nomatterwhatindignitiesmaybeputuponme,youaretoremainlikewisesilent. Wemustprovokenosceneswiththisman,norcrosshiswill. Andwemustkeepsmilingfacesandbefriendlywithhimnomatterhowrepulsiveitmaybe.” Shebrushedherhandacrossherforeheadinapuzzledway,saying,“StillIdonotunderstand.” “YoumustdoasIsay,”Iinterruptedauthoritatively,forIsawWolfLarsen’sgazewanderingtowardusfromwherehepacedupanddownwithLatimeramidships. “DoasIsay,anderelongyouwillfindIamright.” “WhatshallIdo,then?”sheasked,detectingtheanxiousglanceIhadshotattheobjectofourconversation,andimpressed,Iflattermyself,withtheearnestnessofmymanner. “Dispensewithallthemoralcourageyoucan,”Isaidbriskly.“Don’tarousethisman’sanimosity. Bequitefriendlywithhim,talkwithhim,discussliteratureandartwithhim—heisfondofsuchthings. Youwillfindhimaninterestedlistenerandnofool. Andforyourownsaketrytoavoidwitnessing,asmuchasyoucan,thebrutalitiesoftheship. Itwillmakeiteasierforyoutoactyourpart.” “Iamtolie,”shesaidinsteady,rebellioustones,“byspeechandactiontolie.” WolfLarsenhadseparatedfromLatimerandwascomingtowardus.Iwasdesperate. “Please,pleaseunderstandme,”Isaidhurriedly,loweringmyvoice. “Allyourexperienceofmenandthingsisworthlesshere.Youmustbeginoveragain. Iknow,—Icanseeit—youhave,amongotherways,beenusedtomanagingpeoplewithyoureyes,lettingyourmoralcouragespeakoutthroughthem,asitwere. Youhavealreadymanagedmewithyoureyes,commandedmewiththem.Butdon’ttryitonWolfLarsen. Youcouldaseasilycontrolalion,whilehewouldmakeamockofyou. Hewould—IhavealwaysbeenproudofthefactthatIdiscoveredhim,”Isaid,turningtheconversationasWolfLarsensteppedonthepoopandjoinedus. “Theeditorswereafraidofhimandthepublisherswouldhavenoneofhim. ButIknew,andhisgeniusandmyjudgmentwerevindicatedwhenhemadethatmagnificenthitwithhis‘Forge.’” “Anditwasanewspaperpoem,”shesaidglibly. “Itdidhappentoseethelightinanewspaper,”Ireplied,“butnotbecausethemagazineeditorshadbeendeniedaglimpseatit.” “WeweretalkingofHarris,”IsaidtoWolfLarsen. “Oh,yes,”heacknowledged.“Irememberthe‘Forge.’ Filledwithprettysentimentsandanalmightyfaithinhumanillusions. Bytheway,Mr.VanWeyden,you’dbetterlookinonCooky.He’scomplainingandrestless.” ThuswasIbluntlydismissedfromthepoop,onlytofindMugridgesleepingsoundlyfromthemorphineIhadgivenhim. Imadenohastetoreturnondeck,andwhenIdidIwasgratifiedtoseeMissBrewsterinanimatedconversationwithWolfLarsen.AsIsay,thesightgratifiedme.Shewasfollowingmyadvice. AndyetIwasconsciousofaslightshockorhurtinthatshewasabletodothethingIhadbeggedhertodoandwhichshehadnotablydisliked. 
