Stumbling up the steps, as if suddenly exhausted, Lena entered the room
and let herself fall on the nearest chair. Before following her, Heyst
took a survey of the surroundings from the veranda. It was a complete
solitude. There was nothing in the aspect of this familiar scene to tell
him that he and the girl were not completely alone as they had been in
the early days of their common life on this abandoned spot, with only
Wang discreetly materializing from time to time and the uncomplaining
memory of Morrison to keep them company.
After the cold gust of wind there was an absolute stillness of the
air. The thunder-charged mass hung unbroken beyond the low, ink-black
headland, darkening the twilight. By contrast, the sky at the zenith
displayed pellucid clearness, the sheen of a delicate glass bubble which
the merest movement of air might shatter. A little to the left, between
the black masses of the headland and of the forest, the volcano, a
feather of smoke by day and a cigar-glow at night, took its first fiery
expanding breath of the evening. Above it a reddish star came out like
an expelled spark from the fiery bosom of the earth, enchanted into
permanency by the mysterious spell of frozen spaces.
In front of Heyst the forest, already full of the deepest shades, stood
like a wall. But he lingered, watching its edge, especially where it
ended at the line of bushes, masking the land end of the jetty. Since
the girl had spoken of catching a glimpse of something white among the
trees, he believed pretty firmly that they had been followed in their
excursion up the mountain by Mr. Jones's secretary. No doubt the fellow
had watched them out of the forest, and now, unless he took the trouble
to go back some distance and fetch a considerable circuit inland over
the clearing, he was bound to walk out into the open space before the
bungalows. Heyst did, indeed, imagine at one time some movement between
the trees, lost as soon as perceived. He stated patiently, but nothing
more happened. After all, why should he trouble about these people's
actions? Why this stupid concern for the preliminaries, since, when
the issue was joined, it would find him disarmed and shrinking from the
ugliness and degradation of it?
He turned and entered the room. Deep dusk reigned in there already. Lena, near the door, did not move or speak. The sheen of the white tablecloth was very obtrusive. The brute these two vagabonds had tamed had entered on its service while Heyst and Lena were away. The table was laid. Heyst walked up and down the room several times. The girl remained without sound or movement on the chair. But when Heyst, placing the two silver candelabra on the table, struck a match to light the candles, she got up suddenly and went into the bedroom. She came out again almost immediately, having taken off her hat. Heyst looked at her over his shoulder.
"What's the good of shirking the evil hour? I've lighted these
candles for a sign of our return. After all, we might not have been
watched--while returning, I mean. Of course we were seen leaving the
house."
The girl sat down again. The great wealth of her hair looked very dark
above her colourless face. She raised her eyes, glistening softly in
the light with a sort of unreadable appeal, with a strange effect of
unseeing innocence.
"Yes," said Heyst across the table, the fingertips of one hand resting
on the immaculate cloth. "A creature with an antediluvian lower jaw, hairy like a mastodon, and formed like a pre-historic ape, has laid this table. Are you awake, Lena? Am I? I would pinch myself, only I know that nothing would do away with this dream. Three covers. You know it is the shorter of the two who's coming--the gentleman who, in the play of his shoulders as he walks, and in his facial structure, recalls a Jaguar. Ah, you don't know what a jaguar is? But you have had a good look at these two. It's the short one, you know, who's to be our guest."
She made a sign with her head that she knew; Heyst's insistence brought
Ricardo vividly before her mental vision. A sudden languor, like the
physical echo of her struggle with the man, paralysed all her limbs. She lay still in the chair, feeling very frightened at this phenomenon--ready to pray aloud for strength.
Heyst had started to pace the room.