But
even that sort of interest was dying out when, looking to his left, he
saw the accustomed shapes of the other bungalows looming in the night,
and remembered the arrival of the thirsty company in the boat. Wang
would hardly risk such a crime in the presence of other white men. It
was a peculiar instance of the "safety in numbers," principle, which
somehow was not much to Heyst's taste.
He went in gloomily, and stood over the empty drawer in deep and
unsatisfactory thought. He had just made up his mind that he must
breathe nothing of this to the girl, when he heard her voice behind him.
She had taken him by surprise, but he resisted the impulse to turn round
at once under the impression that she might read his trouble in his
face. Yes, she had taken him by surprise, and for that reason the
conversation which began was not exactly as he would have conducted it
if he had been prepared for her pointblank question. He ought to have
said at once: "I've missed nothing." It was a deplorable thing that he
should have let it come so far as to have her ask what it was he missed.
He closed the conversation by saying lightly:
"It's an object of very small value. Don't worry about it--it isn't
worth while. The best you can do is to go and lie down again, Lena."
Reluctant she turned away, and only in the doorway asked: "And you?"
"I think I shall smoke a cheroot on the veranda.
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