"Beware!" exclaimed Dain; "this woman belongs to me!"
Nina wrenched herself free and looked straight at Almayer's angry face.
"No, I will not go," she said with desperate energy. "If he dies I shall
die too!"
"You die!" said Almayer, contemptuously. "Oh, no! You shall live a life
of lies and deception till some other vagabond comes along to sing; how
did you say that? The song of love to you! Make up your mind quickly."
He waited for a while, and then added meaningly--
"Shall I call out to Ali?"
"Call out," she answered in Malay, "you that cannot be true to your own
countrymen. Only a few days ago you were selling the powder for their
destruction; now you want to give up to them the man that yesterday you
called your friend. Oh, Dain," she said, turning towards the motionless
but attentive figure in the darkness, "instead of bringing you life I
bring you death, for he will betray unless I leave you for ever!"
Dain came into the circle of light, and, throwing his arm around Nina's
neck, whispered in her ear--"I can kill him where he stands, before a
sound can pass his lips. For you it is to say yes or no. Babalatchi
cannot be far now."
He straightened himself up, taking his arm off her shoulder, and
confronted Almayer, who looked at them both with an expression of
concentrated fury.
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