"'You are under a misapprehension, Mr. Pearson. The Baron d'Ardigny is not my husband.' "'Not your husband!' "He sprang up with a shout. The revolver clattered to the floor. If it was loaded it was a miracle that it did not go off. 'Not D'Ardigny! Is it possible that you duped him too?' "'I am at your mercy, Mr. Pearson, and you are, of course, free to use towards me any language which, as a gentleman, may be consistent with your code of honour.' "'My code of honour! Such words from you! You ruined me--is that not so? You tempted me to desert my ship. When I did so all that you had to say was that the whole affair had been a little joke of yours. They court-martialled me. I was broken. Surely you cannot expect my honour to be more than yours?' "You know, dear mamma, when I had that scrape with Charlie Pearson I never meant any harm--you know I never did. When he was goose enough to suppose I was in earnest, and actually left his ship to come to me, you remember how annoyed I was? But really, when, on board his own boat, he talked to me in that style I was without a word. "'May I--it seems absurd when I remember that I used, with your consent, to hold you to my bosom and press your lips to mine!--but may I ask your name?' "'I am Mrs. Godwin.' "'So, since the Baron's little affair and mine there has been another. What a quantity of bad language I have wasted on D'Ardigny! Do you know, Mrs. Godwin, when I look at you and think of all that is past, I wonder how I could ever have been such a fool?' "I tried to smile. "'You must own that you were a little foolish.' "'Oh, I was! Undoubtedly I was! Ever to have believed in you!' "'May I ask if you intend to continue to insult me till we get to Antwerp?' "'I scarcely know what I intend as yet. I belong to the prehistoric race of man. When I see a woman who deserves to be drowned, I want to drown her.' "'Holding the position which you do on board, to drown me would be the easiest thing in the world.' "He merely shrugged his shoulders--and laughed. "'Do you know what this is?' He took up a piece of paper from his desk. 'This is a lock of your hair. Has Godwin, I wonder, got a lock as well? Possibly, like the pieces of the true cross, it is to be found all over the world. This is a flower which you wore in your bosom at the Yacht Club ball. Before you gave it me you kissed it, so I kissed it too--ah, many a time! You have no conception of what a prize I thought it was. Now I am quite aware that there was not a man in the room who might not have had a similar one for the asking. Do you see this? This was once your shoe. You would scarcely believe that I bribed your maid to give it to me. I flattered myself that on our wedding night I would surprise you with a request to put it on the foot I loved. I suppose I may not presume to put it on to-night?' "'I imagine, Mr. Pearson, that you are forgetting that I am married.'