Ben was finding it hard to concentrate on what she was saying. All that kept going through his mind was the word "monster", and his own vague impressions of the previous night which seemed SO close to the front of his memory, but then danced away again just as he thought he'd gotten a grasp on them. He knew he needed to get on his own somewhere to make himself think. But then he told himself he just didn't want to know anyhow and he should just stay here speaking to Belle until the sun disappeared from the sky and...
... and
And what? Rip Belle to pieces, ruin his own perfectly good clothes in the meantime and then run amok in a frenzy of hunger and fury?
He needed to get home.
He looked up at her. "Look, I'm really sorry. Please don't take this the wrong way," he started. "But I really don't feel so good. I think I should maybe get back to my cabin and have a lie down, see if that helps. Will you excuse me?"