The man was silent a moment, perhaps with surprise, for the next thing he said was: 'Madame is Spanish?' 'In that, perhaps, I am,' replied Hortense. Again her companion was silent. The pause was prolonged. Madame Bernier broke it by a question which showed that she had been following the same train of thought. 'What is sufficient ground in this country for killing a man?' The boatman sent a loud laugh over the water. Hortense drew her cloak closer about her. 'I'm afraid there is none.' 'Isn't there a right of self-defence?' 'To be sure there is--it's one I ought to know something about. But it's one that _ces messieurs_ at the Palais make short work with.' 'In South America and those countries, when a man makes life insupportable to you, what do you do?' '_Mon Dieu_! I suppose you kill him.' 'And in France?' 'I suppose you kill yourself. Ha! ha! ha!' By this time they had reached the end of the great breakwater, terminating in a lighthouse, the limit, on one side, of the inner harbor. The sun had set. 'Here we are at the lighthouse,' said the man; 'it's growing dark. Shall we turn?' Hortense rose in her place a few moments, and stood looking out to sea. 'Yes,' she said at last, 'you may go back--slowly.' When the boat had headed round she resumed her old position, and put one of her hands over the side, drawing it through the water as they moved, and gazing into the long ripples. At last she looked up at her companion. Now that her face caught some of the lingering light of the west, he could see that it was deathly pale. 'You find it hard to get along in the world,' said she; 'I shall be very glad to help you.' The man started, and stared a moment. Was it because this remark jarred upon the expression which he was able faintly to discern in her eyes? The next, he put his hand to his cap. 'Madame is very kind. What will you do?' Madame Bernier returned his gaze. 'I will trust you.' 'Ah!' 'And reward you.' 'Ah? Madame has a piece of work for me?' 'A piece of work,' Hortense nodded. The man said nothing, waiting apparently for an explanation. His face wore the look of lowering irritation which low natures feel at being puzzled. 'Are you a bold man?' Light seemed to come in this question. The quick expansion of his features answered it. You cannot touch upon certain subjects with an inferior but by the sacrifice of the barrier which separates you from him. There are thoughts and feelings and glimpses and foreshadowings of thoughts which level all inequalities of station. 'I'm bold enough,' said the boatman, 'for anything _you_ want me to do.' 'Are you bold enough to commit a crime?' 'Not for nothing.' 'If I ask you to endanger your peace of mind, to risk your personal safety for me, it is certainly not as a favor. I will give you ten times the weight in gold of every grain by which your conscience grows heavier in my service.' The man gave her a long, hard look through the dim light.