He looked up into her face, and there was that in it which filled him with meekness.
"I'll do what you say," he answered in a whisper, and he summoned his last reserve of strength.
On hands and knees he crawled into the lounge, Emily taking as much weight from his swollen wrists as she could. She cut the oilskin coat from his shoulders so that he should not suffer the pain of having the sleeves drawn over his hands. She spread a berth deftly, hurried below, and returned with dry comfortable clothing which she found in the lockers under the skipper's bed. The slop-chest supplies were soaking in the water which had come in before she had succeeded in shutting the alleyway door. She went below again and brought lint and bandages from the medicine chest. All of these things she did without suggestion. It was part of the new efficiency unto which she had won. Had she been trained to do what she did she could not have done it more thoroughly. This man whom she served might have been her own child.
Watching her quick movements from where he sat on the floor of the lounge, Paul wondered whence she was drawing the strength that was denied him. Nor was it given to either of them to understand this strength which love can bring to its service. It is something not to be understood.
"Why are you able to do this and why am I——"
"Because you have rendered your service," she interrupted. "You made me rest. You stood alone through all the fight. At times I rebelled at it, but now I am glad. I slept this morning and——" She paused with a shudder. "I know I must have slept—or gone out of my senses—during the storm. There are blanks—so many——We are all alone again, you know. The derelict——"
"I know. Please don't think of it now. Please——"
"No—we will not think of it," she said with an effort. "Come."
She bent over him to help him to the waiting berth. A plait of her hair swept his lips. He kissed it as she drew it back and tossed it over her shoulder. Her bosom touched his head. She did not know that she was but adding torture to his pain.
"No, partner," he protested quickly. "I have let you do too much already. Let me try alone."