d had I
only bethought me this was a Friday, I'd have put off our sail till
to-morrow."

"It is strange to see a man like you attach importance to these things."

"And yet it is exactly men like me who do so. Superstitions belong
to hardy, stern, rugged races, like the northmen, even more than the'
natives of southern climes. Too haughty and too self-dependent to ask
counsel from others like themselves, they seek advice in the occult
signs and faint whispers of the natural world. Would you believe it,
that I cast a horoscope last night to know if I should succeed in the
next project I undertook?"

"And what was the answer?"

"An enigma to this purpose: that if what I undertook corresponded with
the entrance of Orion into the seventh house--Why are you laughing?"

"Is it not too absurd to hear such nonsense from you?"

"Was it not the grotesque homage of the witch made Macbeth a murderer?
What are you doing, child? Luff--luff up; the wind is freshening."

"I begin to think there should be a more skilful hand on the tiller. It
blows freshly now."

"In three days more, Florence," said he gravely, "it will be exactly two
years since we sailed here all alone. Those two years have been to me
like a long, long life, so much of danger and trouble and suffering have
been compassed in them. Were I to tell you all, you'd own that few men
could have borne my burden without being crushed by it. It was not death
in any common shape that I confronted; but I must not speak of this.
What I would say is, that through all the perils I passed, one image
floated before me--one voice was in my ear. It was yours."

"Dear Harry, let me implore you not to go back to these things."

"I must, Florence--I must," said he, still more sadly. "If I pain you,
it is only your fair share of suffering."

"My fair share! And why?"

"For this reason. When I knew you first, I was a worn-out, weary,
heart-sick man of the world. Young as I was, I was weary of it all; I
thought I had tasted of whatever it had of sweet or bitter. I had no
wish to renew my experiences. I felt there was a road to go, and I began
my life-journey without interest, or anxiety or hope. You taught me
otherwise, Florence; you revived the heart that was all but cold, and
brought it back to life and energy; you inspired me with high ambitions
and noble desires; you gave confidence where there had been distrust,
and hope where there had been indifference."

"There, there!"