She was in love, and she
pitied her profoundly. But she roused herself from these thoughts
and apologised. "I'm very sorry," she said, "but if I'm dull, it's my
nature, and it can't be helped." If it was a natural defect, however,
she found an easy remedy, for she went on to say that she thought Mr.
Flushing's scheme a very good one, only needing a little consideration,
which it appeared she had given it by the time they reached home. By
that time they had settled that if anything more was said, they would
accept the invitation.
Chapter XX
When considered in detail by Mr. Flushing and Mrs. Ambrose the
expedition proved neither dangerous nor difficult. They found also that
it was not even unusual. Every year at this season English people made
parties which steamed a short way up the river, landed, and looked at
the native village, bought a certain number of things from the natives,
and returned again without damage done to mind or body. When it was
discovered that six people really wished the same thing the arrangements
were soon carried out.
Since the time of Elizabeth very few people had seen the river, and
nothing has been done to change its appearance from what it was to the
eyes of the Elizabethan voyagers. The time of Elizabeth was only distant
from the present time by a moment of space compared with the ages which
had passed since the water had run between those banks, and the green
thickets swarmed there, and the small trees had grown to huge wrinkled
trees in solitude.
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