Sue—[Who has been watching him worriedly, puts the map back on the table, gets up and, assuming a brisk, matter-of-fact tone, she goes over and takes him by the arm.] Come downstairs, Nat. Don’t think any more about it tonight. It’s late and you’re worn out. You need rest and a good sleep.
Nat—[Following her toward the door—confusedly.] But Sue—I saw them—— [From above in the night comes the muffled hail in Bartlett’s voice.] Sarah Allen, ahoy! [Nat stops, tortured, his hands instinctively raised up to cover his ears. Sue gives a startled cry. The door above is slammed and Bartlett comes down the stairs, his face revealing that the delusion has again full possession of his mind.]
Bartlett—[Pointing his finger at his son and fixing him with his eyes—in ringing, triumphant tones.] The Sarah Allen, boy—in the harbor below—a red and a green plain afore my eyes! What did I tell ye, boy? Come back from the Southern Seas as I swore she must! Loaded with gold as I swore she would be! [Nat again seems to crumble—to give way to the stronger will. He takes a step toward his father, his eyes lighting up. Sue looks at his face—then rushes to her father.]
Sue—[Putting her hands to her father’s head and forcing him to look down into her face—intensely.] Pa! Stop, do you hear me! It’s all mad! You’re driving Nat mad, too! [As she sees her father hesitate, the wild light dying out of his eyes, she summons all her power to a fierce pleading.] For my sake, Pa! For Ma’s sake! Think of how she would feel if she were alive and saw you acting this way with Nat! Tell him! Tell him now—before me—tell him it’s all a lie!
Bartlett—[Trying in an agony of conflict to get hold of his reason—incoherently.] Yes, Sue—I hear ye—confess—aye, Sarah, your dyin’ words—keep Nat clear o’ this—but—red and green—I seen ’em plain—— [Then suddenly after a tremendous struggle, lifting his tortured face to Nat’s—in tones of despair.] Nothin’ there, boy! Don’t ye believe! No red and green! She’ll never come! Derelict and lost, boy, the Sarah Allen. [After another struggle with himself.] And I lied to ye, boy. I gave the word—in my mind—to kill them two. I murdered ’em in cold blood.
Sue—[Shrinking from him in horror.] Pa! You don’t know what you’re saying.
Bartlett—The truth, girl. Ye said—confess——
Nat—[Bewilderedly.] But—it was right. They were trying to steal——
Bartlett—[Overcome by the old obsession for a moment—savagely.] Aye, that’s it! The thievin’ scum! They was tryin’—— [He stays short, throwing his head back, his whole body tense and quivering with the effort he makes to force this sustaining lie out of his brain—then, broken but self-conquering, he looks again at Nat—gently.] No, Nat. That be the lie I been tellin’ myself ever since. That cook—he said ’twas brass—— But I’d been lookin’ for ambergris—gold—the whole o’ my life—and when we found that chest—I had to believe, I tell ye! I’d been dreamin’ o’ it all my days! But he said brass and junk, and told the boy—and I give the word to murder ’em both and cover ’em up with sand.