“And, after Kerguelen, what land shall we see next?” asked the old lady.
“New Amsterdam, madame,” replied the Prince, “and after that the Sunda Islands and beautiful Java with its sun and palm trees.”
Mademoiselle de Bromsart shivered slightly. She had been silent up to this, and she spoke now with eyes fixed far away as if viewing the picture of Java with its palms and sapphire skies.
“Could we not go there now?” asked she.
“In what way?” asked the Prince.
“Turn the ship round and leave this place behind,” she replied.
“But why?”
“I don’t know,” said she, “perhaps it is what you say about Kerguelen, or perhaps it was the sight of that big ship all alone out there, but I feel—” she stopped short.
“Yes—”