He did not look at her.
He spoke gravely.
She was glad to do as he asked: her knees were a little shaky, and unable to continue in that jocular tone she kept silent.
He sat also and lit a cigarette.
His eyes wandered restlessly about the room.
He seemed to have some difficulty in starting.
Suddenly he looked full at her; and because he had held his eyes so long averted, his direct gaze gave her such a fright that she smothered a cry.
"Have you ever heard of Mei-Tan-Fu?" he asked. "There's been a good deal about it in the papers lately."
She stared at him in astonishment.
She hesitated.
"Is that the place where there's cholera?
Mr. Arbuthnot was talking about it last night."
"There's an epidemic.
I believe it's the worst they've had for years.
There was a medical missionary there.
He died of cholera three days ago.
There's a French convent there and of course there's the Customs man.
Everyone else has got out."
His eyes were still fixed on her and she could not lower hers.
She tried to read his expression, but she was nervous, and she could only discern a strange watchfulness.
How could he look so steadily?
He did not even blink.
"The French nuns are doing what they can.
They've turned the orphanage into a hospital.
But the people are dying like flies.
I've offered to go and take charge."
"You?"
She started violently.
Her first thought was that if he went she would be free and without let or hindrance could see Charlie.
But the thought shocked her. She felt herself go scarlet.
Why did he watch her like that?
She looked away in embarrassment.
"Is that necessary?" she faltered.
"There's not a foreign doctor in the place."
"But you're not a doctor, you're a bacteriologist."
"I am an M. D., you know, and before I specialized I did a good deal of general work in a hospital.
The fact that I'm first and foremost a bacteriologist is all to the good.
It will be an admirable chance for research work."
He spoke almost flippantly and when she glanced at him she was surprised to see in his eyes a gleam of mockery.
She could not understand.
"But won't it be awfully dangerous?"
"Awfully."
He smiled.
It was a derisive grimace.
She leaned her forehead on her hand.
Suicide.
It was nothing short of that.
Dreadful!
She had not thought he would take it like that.
She couldn't let him do that.