I
suppose he's frightened, now."
For a moment she stood leaning over the rail, her face turned towards
the stairway, waiting. Then her feet took her down the steps, along the
deck, past the engine-room towards the companion-way. Diddy and a young
man in white sat on the step of the cook's galley in a hot atmosphere
redolent of food; she was eating an orange. Under the steps Mr. Peters
and Mrs. Hetherington sat in shadow; further away, up the deck, the
young missionary had collected a group of children and women who were
singing "There's a Friend for Little Children" all out of tune. She
looked round almost motivelessly before she went below. A splash of
light and a volley of laughter from the bar broke through the hymn
singing. She turned quickly. Inside the bar, which was arranged like a
great window with sliding panels, stood a little man with bright black
eyes, wearing a white coat. Behind him were rows upon rows of bottles
and bright shining glasses; a cash register was on the counter. Leaning
against it, his face amazingly merry, his eyes shining, was Louis,
talking volubly without the suspicion of a stammer. In his hand was a
tumbler.
Marcella felt her knees getting weak, though she scarcely realized that
she was frightened; she felt that there was going to be a fight of some
sort, though she did not rightly realize her enemy.
Pages:
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170