CHAPTER XIII.
MISS METFORD'S PLAN.
We coaled at Port Said like any ordinary steamer. Although I had morethan once made the Red Sea voyage, I had never before taken theslightest interest in the coaling of the vessel on which I was apassenger. This time everything was different. That which interested mebefore seemed trivial now. And that which had before seemed trivial wasnow absorbing. I watched the coaling--commonplace as the spectaclewas--with vivid curiosity. The red lights, the sooty demons at work,every bag of coals they carried, and all the coal dust clouds theycreated, were fitting episodes in a voyage such as ours. We took anenormous quantity of coal on board. I remained up most of the night in aframe of mind which I thought none might envy. I myself would have madelight of it had I known what was still in store for the _Esmeralda_ andher company. It was nearly morning when I turned in. When I awoke wewere nearing the Red Sea.
On deck, the conversation of our party was always eccentric, but thismust be said for it: there was sometimes a scintillating brilliance init that almost blinded one to its extreme absurdity. The show of highspirits which was very general was, in the main, unaffected. For therest it was plainly assumed. But those who assumed their parts did sowith a histrionic power which was all the more surprising when it isremembered that the origin of their excellent playing was centred intheir own fears. I preserved a neutral attitude. I did not venture onany overt act of insubordination. That would have only meant mydestruction, without any counter-balancing advantage in the way ofbaulking an enterprise in which I was a most unwilling participator. Andto pretend what I did not feel was a task which I had neither stomach toundertake nor ability to carry out successfully. In consequence I keptmy own counsel--and that of Edith Metford.
Brande was the most easily approached maniac I had ever met. Hisaffability continued absolutely consistent. I took advantage of this tosay to him on a convenient opportunity: "Why did you bring these peoplewith you? They must all be useless, and many of them little better thana nuisance!"
"Marcel, you are improving. Have you attained the telepathic power? Youhave read my mind." This was said with a pleasant smile.
"I can not read your mind," I answered; "I only diagnose."
"Your diagnosis is correct. I answer you in a sentence. They are allsympathetic, and human sympathy is necessary to me until my purpose isfulfilled."
"You do not look to me for any measure of this sympathy, I trust?"
"I do not. You are antipathetic."
"I am."
"But necessary, all the same."
"So be it, until the proper time shall come."
"It will never come," Brande said firmly.
"We shall see," I replied as firmly as himself.
Next evening as we were steaming down the blue waters--deep blue theyalways seemed to me--of the Red Sea, I was sitting on the foredecksmoking and trying to think. I did not notice how the time passed. Whatseemed to me an hour at most, must have been three or four. With theexception of the men of the crew who were on duty, I was alone, for theheat was intense, and most of our people were lying in their cabinsprostrated in spite of the wind-sails which were spread from every portto catch the breeze. My meditations were as usual gloomy and despondent.They were interrupted by Miss Metford. She joined me so noiselessly thatI was not aware of her presence until she laid her hand on my arm. Istarted at her touch, but she whispered a sharp warning, so full ofsuppressed emotion that I instantly recovered a semblance of unconcern.
The girl was very white and nervous. This contrast from her usualequanimity was disquieting. She clung to me hysterically as she gasped:
"Marcel, it is a mercy I have found you alone, and that there is onesane man in this shipful of lunatics."
"I am afraid you are not altogether right," I said, as I placed a seatfor her close to mine. "I can hardly be sane when I am a voluntarypassenger on board this vessel."
"Do you really think they mean what they say?" she asked hurriedly,without noticing my remark.
"I really think they have discovered the secret of extraordinary naturalforces, so powerful and so terrible that no one can say what they may ormay not accomplish. And that is the reason I begged you not to come onthis voyage."
"What was the good of asking me not to come without giving me somereason?"
"Had I done so, they might have killed you as they have done othersbefore."
"You might have chanced that, seeing that it will probably end thatway."
"And they would certainly have killed me."
"Ah!"
I wondered at the sudden intensity of the girl's sharp gasp when I saidthis, and marvelled too, how she, who had always been so mannish,nestled close to me and allowed her head to sink down on my shoulder. Ipitied the strong-willed, self-reliant nature which had given way undersome strain of which I had yet to be told. So I stooped and touched hercheek with my lips in a friendly way, at which she looked up to me withhalf-closed eyes, and whispered in a voice strangely soft and womanishfor her:
"If they must kill us, I wish they would kill us now."
I stroked her soft cheek gently, and urged a less hopeless view. "Evenif the worst come, we may as well live as long as we can."
Whereupon to my surprise she, having shot one quick glance into my eyes,put my arm away and drew her chair apart from mine. Her head was turnedaway from me, but I could not but notice that her bosom rose and fellswiftly. Presently she faced round again, lit a cigarette, put her handsin the pocket of her jacket, and her feet on another chair, and saidindifferently:
"You are right. Even if the worst must come, we may as well live as longas we can."
This sudden change in her manner surprised me. I knew I had no art indealing with women, so I let it pass without comment, and looked out atthe glassy sea.
After some minutes of silence, the girl spoke to me again.
"Do you know anything of the actual plans of these maniacs?"
"No. I only know their preposterous purpose."
"Well, I know how it is to be done. Natalie was restless last night--youknow that we share the same cabin--and she raved a bit. I kept her inher berth by sheer force, but I allowed her to talk."
This was serious. I drew my chair close to Miss Metford's and whispered,"For heaven's sake, speak low." Then I remembered Brande's power, andwrung my hands in helpless impotence. "You forget Brande. At this momenthe is taking down every word we say."
"He's doing nothing of the sort."
"But you forget--"
"I don't forget. By accident I put morphia in the tonic he takes, and heis now past telepathy for some hours at least. He's sound asleep. Isuppose if I had not done it by accident he would have known what I wasdoing, and so have refused the medicine. Anyhow, accident or noaccident, I have done it."
"Thank God!" I cried.
"And this precious disintegrating agent! They haven't it with them, itseems. To manufacture it in sufficient quantity would be impossible inany civilised country without fear of detection or interruption. Brandehas the prescription, formula--what do you call it?--and if you couldget the paper and--"
"Throw it overboard!"
"Rubbish! They would work it all out again."
"What then?" I whispered.
"Steal the paper and--wouldn't it do to put in an extra _x_ or _y_, orstick a couple of additional figures into any suitable vacancy? Don'tyou think they'd go on with the scheme and--"
"And?"
"And make a mess of it!"
"Miss Metford," I said, rising from my chair, "I mean Metford, I knowyou like to be addressed as a man--or used to like it."
"Yes, I used to," she assented coldly.
"I am going to take you in my arms and kiss you."
"I'm hanged if you are!" she exclaimed, so sharply that I was suddenlyabashed. My intended familiarity and its expression appeared grotesque,although a few minutes before she was so friendly. But I could not wasteprecious time in studying a girl's caprices, so I asked at once:
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"How can I get this paper?"
"I said _steal_ it, if you recollect." Her voice was now hard, almostharsh. "You can get it in Brande's cabin, if you are neither afraid norjealous."
"I am not much afraid, and I will try it. What do you mean by jealous?"
"I mean, would you, to save Natalie Brande--for they will certainlysucceed in blowing themselves up, if nobody else--consent to hermarrying another man, say that young lunatic Halley, who is alwaysdangling after her when you are not?"
"Yes," I answered, after some thought. For Halley's attentions toNatalie had been so marked, the plainly inconsequent mention of him inthis matter did not strike me. "If that is necessary to save her, ofcourse I would consent to it. Why do you ask? In my place you would dothe same."
"No. I'd see the ship and all its precious passengers at the bottom ofthe sea first."
"Ah! but you are not a man."
"Right! and what's more, I'm glad of it." Then looking down at therational part of her costume, she added sharply, "I sha'n't wear thesethings again."