Page 314 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

The smile on her face seemed infectious, for his own sul-
len features relaxed. ‘Good night, Sarah,’ he said.
She put out her hand, as if nothing had happened. ‘Good
night, Captain Frere. It’s a bargain, then?’
‘A bargain.’
‘You have a long walk home. Will you have some bran-
dy?’
‘I don’t care if I do,’ he said, advancing to the table, and
filling his glass. ‘Here’s a good voyage to you!’
Sarah Purfoy, watching him, burst into a laugh. ‘Hu-
man beings are queer creatures,’ she said. ‘Who would have
thought that we had been calling each other names just
now? I say, I’m a vixen when I’m roused, ain’t I, Maurice?’
‘Remember what you’ve promised,’ said he, with a threat
in his voice, as he moved to the door. ‘You must be out of
this by the next ship that leaves.’
‘Never fear, I’ll go.’
Getting into the cool street directly, and seeing the calm
stars shining, and the placid water sleeping with a peace in
which he had no share, he strove to cast off the nervous fear
that was on him. That interview had frightened him, for it
had made him think. It was hard that, just as he had turned
over a new leaf, this old blot should come through to the
clean page. It was cruel that, having comfortably forgotten
the past, he should be thus rudely reminded of it.

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