a question of latitude-第5章

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He　was　fifty　years　ahead　of　his　time。　　He　beheld　the　Congo　open　to
the　world；　in　the　forests　where　he　had　hunted　elephants　he　foresaw
great　〃factories；〃　mining　camps；　railroads；　feeding　gold　and　copper
ore　to　the　trunk　line；　from　the　Cape　to　Cairo。　　His　ideas　were　the
ideas　of　an　empire…builder。　　But；　while　the　others　listened；
fascinated；　hypnotized；　Everett　saw　only　the　woman；　her　eyes　fixed
on　her　husband；　her　fingers　turning　and　twisting　her　diamond　rings。
Every　now　and　again　she　raised　her　eyes　to　Everett　almost
reproachfully；　as　though　to　say；　〃Why　do　you　not　listen　to　him？　　It
is　much　better　for　you　than　to　look　at　me。〃

When　they　had　gone；　all　through　the　sultry　night；　until　the　sun
drove　him　to　his　cabin；　like　a　caged　animal　Everett　paced　and
repaced　the　deck。　　The　woman　possessed　his　mind　and　he　could　not
drive　her　out。　　He　did　not　wish　to　drive　her　out。　　What　the
consequences　might　be　he　did　not　care。　　So　long　as　he　might　see　her
again；　he　jeered　at　the　consequences。　　Of　one　thing　he　was
positive。　　He　could　not　now　leave　the　Congo。　　He　would　follow　her
to　Brazzaville。　　If　he　were　discreet；　Ducret　might　invite　him　to
make　himself　their　guest。　　Once　established　in　her　home；　she　MUST
listen　to　him。　　No　man　ever　before　had　felt　for　any　woman　the　need
he　felt　for　her。　　It　was　too　big　for　him　to　conquer。　　It　would　be
too　big　for　her　to　resist。

In　the　morning　a　note　from　Ducret　invited　Everett　and　Cuthbert　to
join　him　in　an　all…day　excursion　to　the　water…fall　beyond　Matadi。
Everett　answered　the　note　in　person。　　The　thought　of　seeing　the
woman　calmed　and　steadied　him　like　a　dose　of　morphine。　　So　much
more　violent　than　the　fever　in　his　veins　was　the　fever　in　his　brain
that；　when　again　he　was　with　her；　he　laughed　happily；　and　was
grandly　at　peace。　　So　different　was　he　from　the　man　they　had　met
the　night　before；　that　the　Frenchman　and　his　wife　glanced　at　each
other　in　surprise　and　approval。　　They　found　him　witty；　eager；　a
most　charming　companion；　and　when　he　announced　his　intention　of
visiting　Brazzaville；　they　insisted　he　should　make　their　home　his
own。

His　admiration；　as　outwardly　it　appeared　to　be；　for　Madame　Ducret；
was　evident　to　the　others；　but　her　husband　accepted　it。　　It　was　her
due。　　And；　on　the　Congo；　to　grudge　to　another　man　the　sight　of　a
pretty　woman　was　as　cruel　as　to　withhold　the　few　grains　of　quinine
that　might　save　his　reason。　　But　before　the　day　passed；　Madame
Ducret　was　aware　that　the　American　could　not　be　lightly　dismissed
as　an　admirer。　　The　fact　neither　flattered　nor　offended。　　For　her
it　was　no　novel　or　disturbing　experience。　　Other　men；　whipped　on　by
loneliness；　by　fever；　by　primitive　savage　instincts；　had　told　her
what　she　meant　to　them。　　She　did　not　hold　them　responsible。　　Some；
worth　curing；　she　had　nursed　through　the　illness。　　Others；　who
refused　to　be　cured；　she　had　turned　over；　with　a　shrug；　to　her
husband。　　This　one　was　more　difficult。　　Of　men　of　Everett's
traditions　and　education　she　had　known　but　few；　but　she　recognized
the　type。　　This　young　man　was　no　failure　in　life；　no　derelict；　no
outcast　flying　the　law；　or　a　scandal；　to　hide　in　the　jungle。　　He
was　what；　in　her　Maxim　days；　she　had　laughed　at　as　an　aristocrat。
He　knew　her　Paris　as　she　did　not　know　it：　its　history；　its　art。
Even　her　language　he　spoke　more　correctly　than　her　husband　or
herself。　　She　knew　that　at　his　home　there　must　be　many　women
infinitely　more　attractive；　more　suited　to　him；　than　herself：　women
of　birth；　of　position；　young　girls　and　great　ladies　of　the　other
world。　　And　she　knew；　also；　that；　in　his　present　state；　at　a　nod
from　her　he　would　cast　these　behind　him　and　carry　her　into　the
wilderness。　　More　quickly　than　she　anticipated；　Everett　proved　she
did　not　overrate　the　forces　that　compelled　him。

The　excursion　to　the　rapids　was　followed　by　a　second　dinner　on
board　the　Nigeria。　　But　now；　as　on　the　previous　night；　Everett　fell
into　sullen　silence。　　He　ate　nothing；　drank　continually；　and　with
his　eyes　devoured　the　woman。　　When　coffee　had　been　served；　he　left
the　others　at　table；　and　with　Madame　Ducret　slowly　paced　the　deck。
As　they　passed　out　of　the　reach　of　the　lights；　he　drew　her　to　the
rail；　and　stood　in　front　of　her。

〃I　am　not　quite　mad；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　have　got　to　come　with　me。〃

To　Everett　all　he　added　to　this　sounded　sane　and　final。　　He　told
her　that　this　was　one　of　those　miracles　when　the　one　woman　and　the
one　man　who　were　predestined　to　meet　had　met。　　He　told　her　he　had
wished　to　marry　a　girl　at　home；　but　that　he　now　saw　that　the　desire
was　the　fancy　of　a　school…boy。　　He　told　her　he　was　rich；　and
offered　her　the　choice　of　returning　to　the　Paris　she　loved；　or　of
going　deeper　into　the　jungle。　　There　he　would　set　up　for　her　a
principality；　a　state　within　the　State。　　He　would　defend　her
against　all　comers。　　He　would　make　her　the　Queen　of　the　Congo。

〃I　have　waited　for　you　thousands　of　years！〃　he　told　her。　　His　voice
was　hoarse；　shaken；　and　thick。　　〃I　love　you　as　men　loved　women　in
the　Stone　Agefiercely；　entirely。　　I　will　not　be　denied。　　Down
here　we　are　cave　people；　if　you　fight　me；　I　will　club　you　and　drag
you　to　my　cave。　　If　others　fight　for　you；　I　will　KILL　them。　　I　love
you；〃　he　panted；　〃with　all　my　soul；　my　mind；　my　body；　I　love　you！
I　will　not　let　you　go！〃

Madame　Ducret　did　not　say　she　was　insulted；　because　she　did　not
feel　insulted。　　She　did　not　call　to　her　husband　for　help；　because
she　did　not　need　his　help；　and　because　she　knew　that　the　ex…
wrestler　could　break　Everett　across　his　knee。　　She　did　not　even
withdraw　her　hands；　although　Everett　drove　the　diamonds　deep　into
her　fingers。

〃You　frighten　me！〃　she　pleaded。　　She　was　not　in　the　least
frightened。　　She　only　was　sorry　that　this　one　must　be　discarded
among　the　incurables。

In　apparent　agitation；　she　whispered；　〃To…morrow！　　To…morrow　I　will
give　you　your　answer。〃

Everett　did　not　trust　her；　did　not　release　her。　　He　regarded　her
jealously；　with　quick　suspicion。　　To　warn　her　that　he　knew　she
could　not　escape　from　Matadi；　or　from　him；　he　said；　〃The　train　to
Leopoldville　does　not　leave　for　two　days！〃

〃I　know！〃　whispered　Madame　Ducret　soothingly。　　〃I　will　give　you
your　answer　to…morrow　at　ten。〃　　She　emphasized　the　hour；　because
she　knew　at　sunrise　a　special　train　would　carry　her　husband　and
herself　to　Leopoldville；　and　that　there　one　of　her　husband's
steamers　would　bear　them　across　the　Pool　to　French　Congo。

〃To…morrow；　then！〃　whispered　Everett；　grudgingly。　　〃But　I　must　kiss
you　now！〃

Only　an　instant　did　Madame　Ducret　hesitate。　　Then　she　turned　her
cheek。　　〃Yes；〃　she　assented。　　〃You　must　kiss　me　now。〃

Everett　did　not　rejoin　the　others。　　He　led　her　back　into　the　circle
of　light；　and　locked　himself　in　his　cabin。

At　ten　the　next　morning；　when　Ducret　and　his　wife　were　well
advanced　toward　Stanley　Pool；　Cuthbert　handed　Everett　a　note。
Having　been　told　what　it　contained；　he　did　not　move　away；　but；　with
his　back　turned；　leaned　upon　the　rail。

Everett；　his　eyes　on　fire　with　triumph；　his　fingers　trembling；　tore
open　the　envelope。

Madame　Ducret　wrote　that　her　husband　and　herself　felt　that　Mr。
Everett　was　suffering　more　severely　from　the　climate　than　he　knew。
With　regret　they　cancelled　their　invitation　to　visit　them；　and
urged　him；　for　his　health's　sake；　to　continue　as　he　had　planned；　to
northern　latitudes。　　They　hoped　to　meet　in　Paris。　　They　extended
assurances　of　their　distinguished　consideration。

Slowly；　savagely；　as　though　wreaking　his　suffering　on　some　human
thing；　Everett　tore　the　note　into　minute　fragments。　　Moving
unsteadily　to　the　ship's　side；　he　flung　them　into　the　river；　and
then　hung　limply　upon　the　rail。

Above　him；　from　a　sky　of　brass；　the　sun　stabbed　at　his　eyeballs。
Below　him；　the　rush　of　the　Congo；　churning　in　muddy　whirlpools；
echoed　against　the　hills　of　naked　rock　that　met　the　naked　sky。

To　Everett；　the　roar　of　the　great　river；　and　the　echoes　from　the
land　he　had　set　out　to　reform；　carried　the　sound　of　gigantic；
hideous　laughter。






End