At the door of the room, Romney's back turned, Bamban stood before the woman a moment. She bowed her head until the servant passed on. Then she moved swiftly to the fire, stirred it into flame and put on the kettle.... Through the open door in the candle-light, she saw the man struggle with his shoe. He seemed unable to see, and his body swayed weakly as his head bent forward. He gave it up for a moment and sank back on the cot. She went in to help him. He tried to push her away, but she resisted:
"Please, I must help you—"
A picture of her brother in the Forward Room had come before him, hunched and helpless, and he would not.
"Just sit down—if you will," he panted. "Just a little while—so I can be sure. I am better—"
There was silence.
"... I was leaving the court," he said in an expectant tone, as if ready to be corrected. "You came after me—"
"You came three nights to be near me at the time of the hyenas—"
"Yes.... And this is the Consulate—the room I first slept in, and you are here."
"Yes."
"And why did you ask me here? ... Or did you tell me already? ... You see, I wasn't quite all here for a minute."