cups. Lockerbie, warmed by wine, was as simple--and
charming--as a wart-hog. Old Maskell, who had seen wind-jammer days and
ways and come very close, I suspected, to piracy, always prayed at least
once. Pasquier, the successful merchant who imported finery for the
ladies of Naapu, rolled out socialistic platitudes--he was always
flanked, at the end of the feast, by two empty chairs. Little Morlot
began the endless tale of his conquests in more civilized lands: all
patchouli and hair-oil. Anything served as a cue for all of them to dive
into the welter of their own preoccupations. Just because they knew each
other and Naapu so well, they seemed free to wander at will in the
secret recesses of their predilections and their memories. I felt like
Circe--or perhaps Ulysses; save that I had none of that wise man's
wisdom.

The reward of my abstinence, I found, was to be the seeing home of
Schneider. It would have come more naturally to Follet, who also lived
at Dubois's, but Follet was fairly snarling at Schneider. French Eva's
name had been mentioned. On my word, as I saw Follet curving his spinal
column, and Schneider lighting up his face with his perfect teeth, I
thought with an immense admiration of the unpolished and loose-hung
Stires amid the eternal smell of tar and dust. It was a mere discussion
of her hair, incoherent and pointless enough. No scandal, even from
Schneider. There had been some sense, of a dirty sort, in his talk to
me; but more wine had scattered his wits.

I took Schneider home, protesting to myself that I would never be so
caught again. He lurched rather stiffly along, needing my help only when
we crossed the unpaved roads in the darkness. Follet went ahead, and I
gave him a good start. When we reached the hotel, Ching Po surged up out
of the black veranda and crooked his arm for Schneider to lean upon.
They passed into the building, silently, like old friends.

A stupid indisposition housed me for a little after Lockerbie's feast. I
resented the discomfort of temporary illness, but rather liked being
alone, and told Joe to refuse me to callers--even the Mauers, who were
more like friends and neighbors than any one else in the place. My own
affairs should not obtrude on this tale at all; and I will not go into
them more than to say that I came to the end of my dosing and emerged
upon the world after three days. The foolish thought came to me that I
would have a look at French Eva's hair, of which l