In that matter of her clothes there had been a great improvement, but made very gradually.  She had laughed at her own precautions, saying, that in her poverty she had wished to save everything that could be saved, and that she had only intended to make herself look like others in the same class.  ‘And I had wanted to avoid all attention,—­at first,’ she said, smiling, as she looked up at him.

’In which you have been altogether unsuccessful he replied, ’as you are certainly more talked about than any one in the ship.’

‘Has it been my fault?’ she asked.

Then he comforted her, saying that it certainly had not been her fault; that she had been reticent and reserved till she had been either provoked or invited to come forth; and, in fact, that her conduct had been in all respects feminine, pretty, and decorous;—­as to all which he was not perhaps the best judge in the world.

But she was certainly much pleasanter to look at, and even to talk to, now that she had put on a small, clean, black felt hat instead of the broken straw, and had got out from her trunks a pretty warm shawl, and placed a ribbon or two about her in some indescribable manner, and was no longer ashamed of showing her shoes as she sat about upon the deck.  There could be no doubt, as she was seen now, that she was the most attractive female on board the ship; but it may be doubted whether the anger of the Mrs. Cromptons, Mrs. Callanders, and Miss Greens was mitigated by the change.  The battle against her became stronger, and the duty of rescuing that infatuated young man from her sorceries was more clear than ever;—­if only anything could be done to rescue him!

What could be done?  Mrs. Smith could not be locked up.  No one,—­not even the Captain,—­could send her down to her own wretched little cabin because she would talk with a gentleman.  Talking is allowed on board ship, and even flirting, to a certain extent.  Mrs. Smith’s conduct with Mr. Caldigate was not more peculiar than that of Miss Green and the doctor.  Only it pleased certain people to think that Miss Green might be fond of the doctor if she chose, and that Mrs. Smith had no right to be fond of any man.  There was a stubbornness about both the sinners which resolved to set public opinion at defiance.  The very fact that others wished to interfere with him made Caldigate determined to resent all interference; and the woman, with perhaps a deeper insight into her own advantages, was brave enough to be able to set opposition at defiance.

They were about a week from their port when the captain,—­Captain Munday,—­was induced to take the matter into his own hands.  It is hardly too much to say that he was pressed to do so by the united efforts of the first-class passengers.  It was dreadful to think that this unfortunate young man should go on shore merely to become the prey of such a woman as that.  So Captain Munday, who at heart was not afraid of his passenger,—­but who persisted in saying that no good could be done, and who had, as may be remembered, already made a slight attempt,—­was induced to take the matter in hand.  He came up to Caldigate on the deck one afternoon, and without any preface began his business.  ’Mr. Caldigate,’ he said, ’I am afraid you are getting into a scrape with one of your fellow-passengers.’