The mere sight of the wine caused Elsie to realize that her lips and
palate were on fire with salt. At one moment she had not the slightest
cognizance of her suffering; at the next, she felt that speech was
impossible until she drank. Never before had she known what thirst
was. A somewhat inferior vintage suddenly assumed a bouquet which
surpassed the finest cru ever dreamt of by Marne valley vigneron.
"Ah, that is better," said the doctor. "Now, if you don't mind, we
shall have the door closed."
With peace suddenly restored to the room, and her faculties helped more
than she suspected, Elsie began to wonder what had happened.
"Where are the others?" she asked; "and why are you taking things so
coolly? Captain Courtenay said--"
"Captain Courtenay said exactly what he meant. But circumstances
proved too strong for him. We shall not be able to leave the ship just
yet."
"Can't they lower any of the boats?"
"Most decidedly. Two boats have been gone some time. I imagined you
knew that. Did not the captain tell you?"
At another time Elsie would have laughed at the prevalent delusion that
she enjoyed Courtenay's confidence so thoroughly.
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