The old man's face remained impassive. His eyes were closed; he appeared to be asleep. Simon was distracted:
"Did you hear? Isabel and Rolleston: she's struggling with him. . . ."
"Miss Bakefield will hold out. The sentence of death has not been issued," said Antonio.
One of the men keeping watch at the entrance to the gangway now came along on his rounds, walking slowly and listening. Antonio recognized him:
"He's one of the original accomplices. Rolleston had all his Hastings stalwarts with him."
The man shook his head:
"Rolleston is wrong. A leader doesn't concern himself like that with trifles."
"He's in love with the girl."
"A funny way of being in love! . . . He has been persecuting her now for four days."
"Why does she refuse him? To begin with she's his wife. She said yes just now."