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The lamp was burning dimly, and her father, tired with the day's labour, was already in his hammock. Nina put the lamp out and passed into a large room she shared with her mother on the left of the central passage. Entering, she saw that Mrs. Almayer had deserted the pile of mats serving her as bed in one corner of the room, and was now bending over the opened lid of her large wooden chest.
Almayer ran forward and turned round, facing her daughter with outstretched arms. "If you move another step," she exclaimed, breathing quickly, "I shall cry out. Do you see those lights in the big house? There sit two white men, angry because they cannot have the blood of the man you love.
I don't mean to say that our passengers dreamed aloud of Almayer, but it is indubitable that two of them at least, who could not sleep apparently and were trying to charm away the trouble of insomnia by a little whispered talk at that ghostly hour, were referring in some way or other to Almayer.
"I am sorry," returned Almayer. "It can be nothing very serious, surely." "If you think an attempt to blow up forty men at least, not a serious matter you will not find many people of your opinion," retorted the officer sharply. "Blow up! What? I know nothing about it," exclaimed Almayer. "Who did that, or tried to do it?" "A man with whom you had some dealings," answered the lieutenant.
Suspicious from the first, Almayer discouraged Willems' attempts to help him in his trading, and then when Willems drew back, he made, with characteristic perverseness, a grievance of his unconcern.
Almayer, just out of his hammock, gazed sleepily at the unwonted appearance of Sambir, wondering vaguely at the absence of life.
I do now whenever I think of it!" Lingard's face expressed sympathetic indignation. Almayer dropped his head upon his arms on the table, and spoke in that position in an indistinct and muffled voice, without looking up. "Finally, by his directions, they flung me into the big rocking-chair. I was sewed in so tight that I was stiff like a piece of wood.
"I'll work it out all clear yet. Meantime you must receive her into this house." "My house!" cried Almayer, turning round. "It's mine too a little isn't it?" said Lingard. "Don't argue," he shouted, as Almayer opened his mouth. "Obey orders and hold your tongue!" "Oh! If you take it in that tone!" mumbled Almayer, sulkily, with a gesture of assent.
"To keep the daughter whom he loves he would strike into your heart and mine without hesitation," said Mrs. Almayer. "When the girl is gone he will be like the devil unchained. Then you and I had better beware." "I am an old man and fear not death," answered Babalatchi, with a mendacious assumption of indifference. "But what will you do?" "I am an old woman, and wish to live," retorted Mrs.
He seemed disconcerted, contemptuously angry yet somewhat amused; and also a little hurt as if at some bitter jest at his own expense. Almayer stopped suddenly, and crossing his arms on his breast, bent his body forward and went on speaking. "I might have been left then in an awkward hole all on account of your absurd disregard for your safety yet I bore no grudge. I knew your weaknesses.
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