"Never mind, Nigel dear," she said, soothingly. "It's all right."
Isaacson, who with Hartley had been standing all this time because Mrs. Armine was standing, now sat down beside the sick man.
"I think true devotion will always find its reward," he said, quietly, steadily. "We only want to do you good, to get you quickly into your old splendid health."
"That's very good of you, of course. But you didn't do me good last night. It was the worst night I ever had."
Isaacson remembered the sound he had heard when the Nubians lay on their oars on the dark river.
"Let us try to do you good to-night. Won't you?" he said.
"All I want is rest. I've told her so. And I tell you so."
"Shall I stay on board to-night and see you to-morrow morning when you have had a night's rest?"
Nigel looked up at his wife.
"Aren't you quite near?" he asked Isaacson, in a moment.