"I am sorry, if you are offended," said he. "But the captain cannot attend to you now, and it is necessary to be guarded in movement; for a slight thing on such occasions may produce a panic."
"You should not have forced me to sit," said she, in a smothered voice, without heeding him; "you had no right."
"This right, that I assume the care of you."
"Monsieur, you see that I am quite competent to the care of myself."
"Marguerite, I see that you are determined to quarrel."
She paused a moment, ere replying; then drew a little nearer and turned her face toward him, though without looking up.
"Forgive me, then!" said she. "But I would rather be naughty and froward, it lets me stay a child, and so you can take me in keeping, and I need not think for myself at all. But if I act like a woman grown, then comes all the responsibility, and I must rely on myself, which is such trouble now, though I never felt it so before,--I don't know why. Don't you see?" And she glanced at him with her head on one side, and laughing archly.
"You were right," he replied, after surveying her a moment; "my proffered protection is entirely superfluous."
She thought he was about to go, and placed her hand on his, as it lay along the side. "Don't leave me," she murmured.
"I have no intention of leaving you," he said.