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back against the ship's side with a noisy； rattling slap。 I
suppose I must have blinked。 I know I missed something； because
the next thing I saw was Almayer lying flat on his back on the
jetty。 He was alone。
Astonishment deprived me of speech long enough to give Almayer
time to pick himself up in a leisurely and painful manner。 The
kalashes lining the rail had all their mouths open。 The mist
flew in the light breeze； and it had come over quite thick enough
to hide the shore completely。
〃How on earth did you manage to let him get away？〃 I asked
scandalised。
Almayer looked into the smarting palm of his right hand； but did
not answer my inquiry。
〃Where do you think he will get to？〃 I cried。 〃Are there any
fences anywhere in this fog？ Can he bolt into the forest？
What's to be done now？〃
Almayer shrugged his shoulders。
〃Some of my men are sure to be about。 They will get hold of him
sooner or later。〃
〃Sooner or later！ That's all very fine； but what about my canvas
slinghe's carried it off。 I want it now； at once； to land two
Celebes cows。〃
Since Dongola we had on board a pair of the pretty little island
cattle in addition to the pony。 Tied up on the other side of the
fore deck they had been whisking their tails into the other door
of the galley。 These cows were not for Almayer； however； they
were invoiced to Abdullah bin Selim； his enemy。 Almayer's
disregard of my requisites was complete。
〃If I were you I would try to find out where he's gone；〃 I
insisted。 〃Hadn't you better call your men together or
something？ He will throw himself down and cut his knees。 He may
even break a leg； you know。〃
But Almayer； plunged in abstracted thought； did not seem to want
that pony any more。 Amazed at this sudden indifference I turned
all hands out on shore to hunt for him on my own account； or； at
any rate； to hunt for the canvas sling which he had round his
body。 The whole crew of the steamer； with the exception of
firemen and engineers； rushed up the jetty past the thoughtful
Almayer and vanished from my sight。 The white fog swallowed them
up； and again there was a deep silence that seemed to extend for
miles up and down the stream。 Still taciturn； Almayer started to
climb on board； and I went down from the bridge to meet him on
the after deck。
〃Would you mind telling the captain that I want to see him very
particularly？〃 he asked me in a low tone； letting his eyes stray
all over the place。
〃Very well。 I will go and see。〃
With the door of his cabin wide open Captain C； just back from
the bathroom； big and broad…chested； was brushing his thick；
damp； iron…grey hair with two large brushes。
〃Mr。 Almayer told me he wanted to see you very particularly；
sir。〃
Saying these words I smiled。 I don't know why I smiled except
that it seemed absolutely impossible to mention Almayer's name
without a smile of a sort。 It had not to be necessarily a
mirthful smile。 Turning his head towards me Captain C smiled
too； rather joylessly。
〃The pony got away from himeh？〃
〃Yes sir。 He did。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃Goodness only knows。〃
〃No。 I mean Almayer。 Let him come along。〃
The captain's stateroom opening straight on deck under the
bridge； I had only to beckon from the doorway to Almayer； who had
remained aft； with downcast eyes； on the very spot where I had
left him。 He strolled up moodily； shook hands and at once asked
permission to shut the cabin door。
〃I have a pretty story to tell you；〃 were the last words I heard。
The bitterness of tone was remarkable。
I went away from the door； of course。 For the moment I had no
crew on board； only the Chinaman carpenter； with a canvas bag
hung round his neck and a hammer in his hand； roamed about the
empty decks knocking out the wedges of the hatches and dropping
them into the bag conscientiously。 Having nothing to do I joined
our two engineers at the door of the engine…room。 It was near
breakfast time。
〃He's turned up early； hasn't he？〃 commented the second engineer；
and smiled indifferently。 He was an abstemious man with a good
digestion and a placid； reasonable view of life even when hungry。
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃Shut up with the old man。 Some very particular
business。〃
〃He will spin him a damned endless yarn；〃 observed the chief
engineer。
He smiled rather sourly。 He was dyspeptic and suffered from
gnawing hunger in the morning。 The second smiled broadly； a
smile that made two vertical folds on his shaven cheeks。 And I
smiled too； but I was not exactly amused。 In that man； whose
name apparently could not be uttered anywhere in the Malay
Archipelago without a smile； there was nothing amusing whatever。
That morning he breakfasted with us silently； looking mostly into
his cup。 I informed him that my men came upon his pony capering
in the fog on the very brink of the eight…foot…deep well in which
he kept his store of guttah。 The cover was off with no one near
by； and the whole of my crew just missed going heels over head
into that beastly hole。 Jurumudi Itam； our best quartermaster；
deft at fine needlework； he who mended the ship's flags and sewed
buttons on our coats； was disabled by a kick on the shoulder。
Both remorse and gratitude seemed foreign to Almayer's character。
He mumbled：
〃Do you mean that pirate fellow？〃
〃What pirate fellow？ The man has been in the ship eleven years；〃
I said indignantly。
〃It's his looks；〃 Almayer muttered for all apology。
The sun had eaten up the fog。 From where we sat under the after
awning we could see in the distance the pony tied up in front of
Almayer's house； to a post of the verandah。 We were silent for a
long time。 All at once Almayer； alluding evidently to the
subject of his conversation in the captain's cabin； exclaimed
anxiously across the table：
〃I really don't know what I can do now！〃
Captain C only raised his eyebrows at him； and got up from his
chair。 We dispersed to our duties； but Almayer； half dressed as
he was in his cretonne pyjamas and the thin cotton singlet；
remained on board； lingering near the gangway as though he could
not make up his mind whether to go home or stay with us for good。
Our Chinamen boys gave him side glances as they went to and fro；
and Ah Sing； our young chief steward； the handsomest and most
sympathetic of Chinamen； catching my eye； nodded knowingly at his
burly back。 In the course of the morning I approached him for a
moment。
〃Well； Mr。 Almayer；〃 I addressed him easily； 〃you haven't started
on your letters yet。〃
We had brought him his mail and he had held the bundle in his
hand ever since we got up from breakfast。 He glanced at it when
I spoke and； for a moment； it looked as if he were on the point
of opening his fingers and letting the whole lot fall overboard。
I believe he was tempted to do so。 I shall never forget that man
afraid of his letters。
〃Have you been long out from Europe？〃 he asked me。
〃Not very。 Not quite eight months；〃 I told him。 〃I left a ship
in Samarang with a hurt back and have been in the hospital in
Singapore some weeks。〃
He sighed。
〃Trade is very bad here。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃Hopeless！。 。 。See these geese？〃
With the hand holding the letters he pointed out to me what
resembled a patch of snow creeping and swaying across the distant
part of his compound。 It disappeared behind some bushes。
〃The only geese on the East Coast；〃 Almayer informed me in a
perfunctory mutter without a spark of faith； hope or pride。
Thereupon； with the same absence of any sort of sustaining spirit
he declared his intention to silence a fat bird and send him on
board for us not later than next day。
I had heard of these largesses before。 He conferred a goose as
if it were a sort of Court decoration given only to the tried
friends of the house。 I had expected more pomp in the ceremony。
The gift had surely its special quality； multiple and rare。 From
the only flock on the East Coast！ He did not make half enough of
it。 That man did not understand his opportunities。 H