“It was not, it was just the light in the sky, God’s good sunlight, but I have never seen such a thing before. Well, what happened next day? I killed my friend, I flung my knife at him, but I did not mean to kill, no, but the devil who lives on that island, took care that the knife did its work. Next day, as I was standing on the reef, looking out for ships, I felt someone standing behind me. There was no one to be seen but there was someone there, the very gulls in that place are not right, Bon Dieu, they shout at one—then, in the night someone beat a drum close to my tent—I nearly left my reason behind in that place—well, now, listen, I escaped, I said to myself, ‘never will I go back there,’ look at my luck. I meet you. I take too much rum, I talk to you and shew you that cursed gold, and what’s the result? Well, I’m going back, against my will—”
“To make your fortune against your will,” said Sagesse with a sneer, “and you call that bad luck.”
“Fortune,” cried Gaspard, echoing the sneering tone of the other, “and you expect to take a fortune from that place?”
“If it is there, I will take it.”
“I tell you if it were lying on the beach, you will not take it.”
“And who will prevent me?”
“There is one there who will prevent you.”
“And who is he?”
“Simon Serpente.”
Sagesse looked at his companion as if doubting his reason.