a face wrinkled by the sun； with hair bleached white by the sun；
with eyes from which； through gazing at the sun； all light and
lustre had departed。 He thought of them as always wearing boots to
protect their ankles from mosquitoes； and army helmets。
When he came on deck for dinner； he saw a woman who looked as
though she was posing for a photograph by Reutlinger。 She appeared
to have stepped to the deck directly from her electric victoria；
and the Rue de la Paix。 She was tall； lithe； gracefully erect；
with eyes of great loveliness； and her hair brilliantly black；
drawn； a la Merode； across a broad； fair forehead。 She wore a gown
and long coat of white lace； as delicate as a bridal veil； and a
hat with a flapping brim from which； in a curtain； hung more lace。
When she was pleased； she lifted her head and the curtain rose；
unmasking her lovely eyes。 Around the white； bare throat was a
string of pearls。 They had cost the lives of many elephants。
Cuthbert； only a month from home； saw Madame Ducret just as she
wasa Parisienne； elegant； smart； soigne。 He knew that on any
night at Madrid or d'Armenonville he might look upon twenty women
of the same charming type。 They might lack that something this
girl from Maxim's possessedthe spirit that had caused her to
follow her husband into the depths of darkness。 But outwardly； for
show purposes； they were even as she。
But to Everett she was no messenger from another world。 She was
unique。 To his famished eyes； starved senses； and fever…driven
brain； she was her entire sex personified。 She was the one woman
for whom he had always sought； alluring； soothing； maddening； if
need be； to be fought for； the one thing to be desired。 Opposite；
across the table； her husband； the ex…wrestler； chasseur d'Afrique；
elephant poacher； bulked large as an ox。 Men felt as well as saw
his bigness。 Captain Hardy deferred to him on matters of trade。
The purser deferred to him on questions of administration。 He
answered them in his big way； with big thoughts； in big figures。
He was fifty years ahead of his time。 He beheld the Congo open to
the world； in the forests where he had hunted elephants he foresaw
great 〃factories；〃 mining camps； railroads； feeding gold and copper
ore to the trunk line； from the Cape to Cairo。 His ideas were the
ideas of an empire…builder。 But； while the others listened；
fascinated； hypnotized； Everett saw only the woman； her eyes fixed
on her husband； her fingers turning and twisting her diamond rings。
Every now and again she raised her eyes to Everett almost
reproachfully； as though to say； 〃Why do you not listen to him？ It
is much better for you than to look at me。〃
When they had gone； all through the sultry night； until the sun
drove him to his cabin； like a caged animal Everett paced and
repaced the deck。 The woman possessed his mind and he could not
drive her out。 He did not wish to drive her out。 What the
consequences might be he did not care。 So long as he might see her
again； he jeered at the consequences。 Of one thing he was
positive。 He could not now leave the Congo。 He would follow her
to Brazzaville。 If he were discreet； Ducret might invite him to
make himself their guest。 Once established in her home； she MUST
listen to him。 No man ever before had felt for any woman the need
he felt for her。 It was too big for him to conquer。 It would be
too big for her to resist。
In the morning a note from Ducret invited Everett and Cuthbert to
join him in an all…day excursion to the water…fall beyond Matadi。
Everett answered the note in person。 The thought of seeing the
woman calmed and steadied him like a dose of morphine。 So much
more violent than the fever in his veins was the fever in his brain
that； when again he was with her； he laughed happily； and was
grandly at peace。 So different was he from the man they had met
the night before； that the Frenchman and his wife glanced at each
other in surprise and approval。 They found him witty； eager； a
most charming companion； and when he announced his intention of
visiting Brazzaville； they insisted he should make their home his
own。
His admiration； as outwardly it appeared to be； for Madame Ducret；
was evident to the others； but her husband accepted it。 It was her
due。 And； on the Congo； to grudge to another man the sight of a
pretty woman was as cruel as to withhold the few grains of quinine
that might save his reason。 But before the day passed； Madame
Ducret was aware that the American could not be lightly dismissed
as an admirer。 The fact neither flattered nor offended。 For her
it was no novel or disturbing experience。 Other men； whipped on by
loneliness； by fever； by primitive savage instincts； had told her
what she meant to them。 She did not hold them responsible。 Some；
worth curing； she had nursed through the illness。 Others； who
refused to be cured； she had turned over； with a shrug； to her
husband。 This one was more difficult。 Of men of Everett's
traditions and education she had known but few； but she recognized
the type。 This young man was no failure in life； no derelict； no
outcast flying the law； or a scandal； to hide in the jungle。 He
was what； in her Maxim days； she had laughed at as an aristocrat。
He knew her Paris as she did not know it： its history； its art。
Even her language he spoke more correctly than her husband or
herself。 She knew that at his home there must be many women
infinitely more attractive； more suited to him； than herself： women
of birth； of position； young girls and great ladies of the other
world。 And she knew； also； that； in his present state； at a nod
from her he would cast these behind him and carry her into the
wilderness。 More quickly than she anticipated； Everett proved she
did not overrate the forces that compelled him。
The excursion to the rapids was followed by a second dinner on
board the Nigeria。 But now； as on the previous night； Everett fell
into sullen silence。 He ate nothing； drank continually； and with
his eyes devoured the woman。 When coffee had been served； he left
the others at table； and with Madame Ducret slowly paced the deck。
As they passed out of the reach of the lights； he drew her to the
rail； and stood in front of her。
〃I am not quite mad；〃 he said； 〃but you have got to come with me。〃
To Everett all he added to this sounded sane and final。 He told
her that this was one of those miracles when the one woman and the
one man who were predestined to meet had met。 He told her he had
wished to marry a girl at home； but that he now saw that the desire
was the fancy of a school…boy。 He told her he was rich； and
offered her the choice of returning to the Paris she loved； or of
going deeper into the jungle。 There he would set up for her a
principality； a state within the State。 He would defend her
against all comers。 He would make her the Queen of the Congo。
〃I have waited for you thousands of years！〃 he told her。 His voice
was hoarse； shaken； and thick。 〃I love you as men loved women in
the Stone Agefiercely； entirely。 I will not be denied。 Down
here we are cave people； if you fight me； I will club you and drag
you to my cave。 If others fight for you； I will KILL them。 I love
you；〃 he panted； 〃with all my soul； my mind； my body； I love you！
I will not let you go！〃
Madame Ducret did not say she was insulted； because she did not
feel insulted。 She did not call to her husband for help； because
she did not need his help； and because she knew that the ex…
wrestler could break Everett across his knee。 She did not even
withdraw her hands； although Everett drove the diamonds deep into
her fingers。
〃You frighten me！〃 she pleaded。 She was not in the least
frightened。 She only was sorry that this one must be discarded
among the incurables。
In apparent agitation； she whispered； 〃To…morrow！ To…morrow I will
give you your answer。〃
Everett did not trust her； did not release her。 He regarded her
jealously； with quick suspicion。 To warn her that he knew she
could not escape from Matadi； or from him； he said； 〃The train to
Leopoldville does not leave for two days！〃
〃I know！〃 whispered Madame Ducret soothingly。 〃I will give you
your answer to…morrow at ten。〃 She emphasized the hour； because
she knew at sunrise a special train would carry her husband and
herself to Leopoldville； and that there one of her husband's
steamers would bear them across the Pool to French Congo。
〃To…morrow； then！〃 whispered Everett； grudgingly。 〃But I must kiss
you now！〃
Only an instant did Madame Ducret hesitate。 Then she turned her
cheek。 〃Yes；〃 she assented。 〃You must kiss me now。〃
Everett did not rejoin the others。 He led her back into the circle
of light； and locked himself in his cabin。
At ten the next morning； when Ducret and his wife were well
advanced toward Stanley Pool； Cuthbert handed Everett a note。
Having been told what it contained； he did not move away； but； with
his back turned； leaned upon the rail。
Everett； his eyes on fire with triumph； his fingers trembling； tore
open the envelope。
Madame Ducret wrote that her husband and herself felt that Mr。
Everett was suffering more severely from the climate than he knew。
With regret they cancelled their invitation to visit them； and
urged him； for his health's sake； to continue as he had planned； to
northern latitudes。 They hoped to meet in Paris。 They extended
assurances of their distinguished consideration。
Slowly； savagely； as though wreaking his suffering on some human
thing； Everett tore the note into minute fragments。 Moving
unsteadily to the ship's side； he flung them into the river； and
then hung limply upon the rail。
Above him； from a sky of brass； the sun stabbed at his eyeballs。
Below him； the rush of the Congo； churning in muddy whirlpools；
echoed against the hills of naked rock that met the naked sky。
To Everett； the roar of the great river； and the echoes from the
land he had set out to reform； carried the sound of gigantic；
hideous laughter。
End