"Indeed! How?
But you are raving," he added, negligently.
"Ah! You don't know," whispered Willems.

"She is gone.

Gone," he repeated, with tears in his voice, "gone two days ago." "No!" exclaimed the surprised Almayer.

"Gone! I haven't heard that news yet." He burst into a subdued laugh.

"How funny! Had enough of you already?
You know it's not flattering for you, my superior countryman." Willems--as if not hearing him--leaned against one of the columns of the roof and looked over the river.