Almayer stood looking down at them
in gloomy thoughtfulness. As he was opening his lips to speak they were
startled by a cry of warning by the riverside, followed by the splash of
many paddles and the sound of voices.
"Babalatchi!" shouted Dain, lifting up Nina as he got upon his feet
quickly.
"Ada! Ada!" came the answer from the panting statesman who ran up the
path and stood amongst them. "Run to my canoe," he said to Dain
excitedly, without taking any notice of Almayer. "Run! we must go. That
woman has told them all!"
"What woman?" asked Dain, looking at Nina. Just then there was only one
woman in the whole world for him.
"The she-dog with white teeth; the seven times accursed slave of Bulangi.
She yelled at Abdulla's gate till she woke up all Sambir. Now the white
officers are coming, guided by her and Reshid. If you want to live, do
not look at me, but go!"
"How do you know this?" asked Almayer.
"Oh, Tuan! what matters how I know! I have only one eye, but I saw
lights in Abdulla's house and in his campong as we were paddling past. I
have ears, and while we lay under the bank I have heard the messengers
sent out to the white men's house."
"Will you depart without that woman who is my daughter?" said Almayer,
addressing Dain, while Babalatchi stamped with impatience, muttering,
"Run! Run at once!"
"No," answered Dain, steadily, "I will not go; to no man will I abandon
this woman.
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