The white man himself was impenetrable--impenetrable to persuasion, coaxing, abuse; to soft words and shrill revilings; to desperate beseechings or murderous threats; for Mrs.Almayer, in her extreme desire to persuade her husband into an alliance with Lakamba, played upon the whole gamut of passion.

With her soiled robe wound tightly under the armpits across her lean bosom, her scant grayish hair tumbled in disorder over her projecting cheek-bones, in suppliant attitude, she depicted with shrill volubility the advantages of close union with a man so good and so fair dealing.
"Why don't you go to the Rajah ?" she screamed.

"Why do you go back to those Dyaks in the great forest?
They should be killed.

You cannot kill them, you cannot; but our Rajah's men are brave! You tell the Rajah where the old white man's treasure is.

Our Rajah is good! He is our very grandfather, Datu Besar! He will kill those wretched Dyaks, and you shall have half the treasure.