You see, he was really just playing a game. Big game was his speciality
(Africa) and this one was to be as big as an elephant. It consisted in the
correction of a flaw which he had found in the object of his worship, the
lovely young Widow _Audley,_ who had refused in his very presence to
receive a woman, an old friend of hers, who had preferred love to
reputation. He, the gallant Captain, proposed to amend this error. By his
French methods he would reduce the Widow to such a state of helplessness
that she would consent to become his mistress. The fact that he happened to
be a bachelor, and perfectly free to marry her, should not be allowed to
stand in the way of his scheme. He would explain that the exigencies of his
vocation as a hunter of big game demanded a greater measure of liberty than
was practicable within the bonds of matrimony. He would be "faithful but
free."
In the course of a brief month (the interval between the First and Second
Acts, for we are not permitted to see how he does it) she has become as
putty in his hands. She consents to be his mistress, and is indeed so
determined to adopt this informal style of union that when he produces a
special marriage licence she is indignant at such a concession to the
proprieties. But once again the Captain proves irresistible with his French
methods and all ends well.
[Illustration: THE CAPTAIN "EXAMINES ARMS."
_Captain le Briquet_ ..
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