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While the ship lay at the wharf； Hardy； her English captain；
Cuthbert； the purser； and Everett ate on deck under the awning；
assailed by electric fans。 Each was clad in nothing more intricate
than pajamas。
〃To…night；〃 announced Hardy； with a sigh； 〃we got to dress ship。
Mr。 Ducret and his wife are coming on board。 We carry his trade
goods； and I got to stand him a dinner and champagne。 You boys；〃
he commanded； 〃must wear 'whites；' and talk French。〃
〃I'll dine on shore；〃 growled Everett。
〃Better meet them；〃 advised Cuthbert。 The purser was a pink…
cheeked； clear…eyed young man； who spoke the many languages of the
coast glibly； and his own in the soft； detached voice of a well…
bred Englishman。 He was in training to enter the consular service。
Something in his poise； in the assured manner in which he handled
his white stewards and the black Kroo boys； seemed to Everett a
constant reproach； and he resented him。
〃They're a picturesque couple；〃 explained Cuthbert。 〃Ducret was
originally a wrestler。 Used to challenge all comers from the front
of a booth。 He served his time in the army in Senegal； and when he
was mustered out moved to the French Congo and began to trade； in a
small way； in ivory。 Now he's the biggest merchant； physically and
every other way； from Stanley Pool to Lake Chad。 He has a house at
Brazzaville built of mahogany； and a grand piano； and his own ice…
plant。 His wife was a supper…girl at Maxim's。 He brought her down
here and married her。 Every rainy season they go back to Paris and
run race…horses； and they say the best table in every all…night
restaurant is reserved for him。 In Paris they call her the Ivory
Queen。 She's killed seventeen elephants with her own rifle。〃
In the Upper Congo； Everett had seen four white women。 They were
pallid； washed…out； bloodless； even the youngest looked past
middle…age。 For him women of any other type had ceased to exist。
He had come to think of every white woman as past middle…age； with
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 sc