Silence.  The voice of the sea is growing louder—­there is the splash and the call and the promise of a stern caress.

“I swear.”

Silence.  Khorre and Flerio come up to Haggart.

“All’s ready, Captain,” says Flerio.

“They are waiting, Noni.  Go quicker!  They want to feast to-night, Noni!  But I must tell you, Noni, that they—­”

Haggart—­Did you say something, Flerio?  Yes, yes, everything is ready.  I am coming.  I think I am not quite through yet with land.  This is such a remarkable land, Flerio; the dreams here drive their claws into a man like thorns, and they hold him.  One has to tear his clothing, and perhaps his body as well.  What did you say, Mariet?

Mariet—­Don’t you want to kiss little Noni?  You shall never kiss him again.

“No, I don’t want to.”

Silence.

“You will go alone.”

“Yes, I will go alone.”

“Did you ever cry, Haggart?”

“No.”

“Who is crying now?  I hear some one crying bitterly.”

“That is not true—­it is the roaring of the sea.”

“Oh, Haggart!  Of what great sorrow does that voice speak?”

“Be silent, Mariet.  It is the roaring of the sea.”

Silence.

“Is everything ended now, Haggart?”

“Everything is ended, Mariet.”

Mariet, imploring, says: 

“Gart!  Only one motion of the hand!  Right here—­against the heart—­ Gart!”

“No.  Leave me alone.”

“Only one motion of the hand!  Here is your knife.  Have pity on me, kill me with your hand.  Only one motion of your hand, Gart!”

“Let go.  Give me my knife.”

“Gart, I bless you!  One motion of your hand, Gart!”

Haggart tears himself away, pushing the woman aside: 

“No!  Don’t you know that it is just as hard to make one motion of the hand as it is for the sun to come down from the sky?  Good-bye, Mariet!”

“You are going away?”

“Yes, I am going away.  I am going away, Mariet.  That’s how it sounds.”

“I shall curse you, Haggart.  Do you know!  I shall curse you, Haggart.  And little Noni will curse you, Haggart—­Haggart!”

Haggart exclaims cheerfully and harshly: 

“Eh, Khorre.  You, Flerio, my old friend.  Come here, give me your hand—­Oh, what a powerful hand it is!  Why do you pull me by the sleeve, Khorre?  You have such a funny face.  I can almost see how the rope snapped, and you came down like a sack.  Flerio, old friend, I feel like saying something funny, but I have forgotten how to say it.  How do they say it?  Remind me, Flerio.  What do you want, sailor?”

Khorre whispers to him hoarsely: 

“Noni, be on your guard.  The rope broke because they used a rotten rope intentionally.  They are betraying you!  Be on your guard, Noni.  Strike them on the head, Noni.”