'Oh, your arm and that sort of thing, yes. But something more. I feel as if something were going to happen.' 'That's exactly what I said to Jasper this morning.' 'And what did he say?' 'He only looked innocent, as if he thought I meant a fog or a storm.' 'Heaven forbid--it isn't that! I shall never be good-natured again,' Mrs. Nettlepoint went on; 'never have a girl put upon me that way. You always pay for it, there are always tiresome complications. What I am afraid of is after we get there. She'll throw up her engagement; there will be dreadful scenes; I shall be mixed up with them and have to look after her and keep her with me. I shall have to stay there with her till she can be sent back, or even take her up to London. _Voyez-vous ca?_' I listened respectfully to this and then I said: 'You are afraid of your son.' 'Afraid of him?' 'There are things you might say to him--and with your manner; because you have one when you choose.' 'Very likely, but what is my manner to his? Besides, I have said everything to him. That is I have said the great thing, that he is making her immensely talked about.' 'And of course in answer to that he has asked you how you know, and you have told him I have told you.' 'I had to; and he says it's none of your business.' 'I wish he would say that to my face.' 'He'll do so perfectly, if you give him a chance. That's where you can help me. Quarrel with him--he's rather good at a quarrel, and that will divert him and draw him off.' 'Then I'm ready to discuss the matter with him for the rest of the voyage.' 'Very well; I count on you. But he'll ask you, as he asks me, what the deuce you want him to do.' 'To go to bed,' I replied, laughing. 'Oh, it isn't a joke.' 'That's exactly what I told you at first.' 'Yes, but don't exult; I hate people who exult. Jasper wants to know why he should mind her being talked about if she doesn't mind it herself.' 'I'll tell him why,' I replied; and Mrs. Nettlepoint said she should be exceedingly obliged to me and repeated that she would come upstairs. I looked for Jasper above that same evening, but circumstances did not favour my quest. I found him--that is I discovered that he was again ensconced behind the lifeboat with Miss Mavis; but there was a needless violence in breaking into their communion, and I put off our interview till the next day. Then I took the first opportunity, at breakfast, to make sure of it. He was in the saloon when I went in and was preparing to leave the table; but I stopped him and asked if he would give me a quarter of an hour on deck a little later--there was something particular I wanted to say to him. He said, 'Oh yes, if you like,' with just a visible surprise, but no look of an uncomfortable consciousness. When I had finished my breakfast I found him smoking on the forward-deck and I immediately began: 'I am going to say something that you won't at all like; to ask you a question that you will think impertinent.'