HemademesomadthatIhadtolaugh。`Can’tyoureallystoplongenoughtodrinkthisglassofbeerhere，youfunnybeggar，you？’Idon’tknowwhatcameoverhim；hedidn’tseemabletofindthedoor；somethingcomical，Icantellyou，captain。Idrankthebeermyself。`Well，ifyou’reinsuchahurry，here’slucktoyouinyourowndrink，’saysI；`only，youmarkmywords，ifyoukeepupthisgameyou’llverysoonfindthattheearthain’tbigenoughtoholdyou——that’sall。’Hegavemeoneblacklook，andoutherushedwithafacefittoscarelittlechildren。“
　　`Egstromsnortedbitterly，andcombedoneauburnwhiskerwithknottyfingers。“Haven’tbeenabletogetamanthatwasanygoodsince。It’snothingbutworry，worry，worryinbusiness。Andwheremightyouhavecomeacrosshim，captain，ifit’sfairtoask？“
　　“`HewasthemateofthePatnathatvoyage。“Isaid，feelingthatIowedsomeexplanation。ForatimeEgstromremainedverystill，withhisfingersplungedinthehairatthesideofhisface，andthenexploded。
　　“Andwhothedevilcaresaboutthat？““Idaresaynoone，“Ibegan……“Andwhatthedevilishe——anyhow——fortogoonlikethis？“Hestuffedsuddenlyhisleftwhiskerintohismouthandstoodamazed。“Jee!“heexclaimed，“Itoldhimtheearthwouldn’tbebigenoughtoholdhiscaper。“’
　　toldyouthesetwoepisodesatlengthtoshowhismannerofdealingwithhimselfunderthenewconditionsofhislife。
　　Thereweremanyothersofthesort，morethanIcouldcountonthefingersofmytwohands。
　　`Theywereallequallytingedbyahigh-mindedabsurdityofintentionwhichmadetheirfutilityprofoundandtouching。Toflingawayyourdailybreadsoastogetyourhandsfreeforagrapplewithaghostmaybeanactofprosaicherosim。Menhaddoneitbeforethoughwewhohavelivedknowfullwellthatitisnotthehauntedsoulbutthehungrybodythatmakesanoutcast，andmenwhohadeatenandmeanttoeateverydayhadapplaudedthecreditablefolly。Hewasindeedunfortunate，forallhisrecklessnesscouldnotcarryhimoutfromundertheshadow。Therewasalwaysadoubtofhiscourage。Thetruthseemstobethatitisimpossibletolaytheghostofafact。Youcanfaceitorshirkit——andIhavecomeacrossamanortwowhocouldwinkattheirfamiliarshades。ObviouslyJimwasnotofthewinkingsort；butwhatIcouldnevermakeupmymindaboutwaswhetherhislineofconductamountedtoshirkinghisghostortofacinghimout。
　　`Istrainedmymentaleyesightonlytodiscoverthat，aswiththecomplexionofallouractions，theshadeofdifferencewassodelicatethatitwasimpossibletosay。Itmighthavebeenflightanditmighthavebeenamodeofcombat。Tothecommonmindhebecameknownasarollingstone，becausethiswasthefunniestpart；hedidafteratimebecomeperfectlyknown，andevennotorious，withinthecircleofhiswanderingswhichhadadiameterof，say，threethousandmiles，inthesamewayasaneccentriccharacterisknowntoawholecountryside。Forinstance，inBangkok，wherehefoundemploymentwithYuckerBrothers，charterersandteakmerchants，itwasalmostpathetictoseehimgoaboutinsunshinehugginghissecret，whichwasknowntotheveryup-countrylogsontheriver。Schomberg，thekeeperofthehotelwhereheboarded，ahirsuteAlsatianofmanlybearingandanirrepressibleretailerofallthescandalousgossipoftheplace，would，withbothelbowsonthetable，impartanadornedversionofthestorytoanyguestwhocaredtoimbibeknowledgealongwiththemorecostlyliquors。
　　“And，mindyou，thenicestfellowyoucouldmeet，“wouldbehisgenerousconclusion；“quitesuperior。“ItsaysalotforthecasualcrowdthatfrequentedSchomberg’sestablishmentthatJimmanagedtohangoutinBangkokforawholesixmonths。Iremarkedthatpeople，perfectstrangers，tooktohimasonetakestoanicechild。Hismannerwasreserved，butitwasasthoughhispersonalappearance，hishair，hiseyes，hissmile，madefriendsforhimwhereverhewent。And，ofcourse，hewasnofool。IheardSiegmundYuckernativeofSwitzerland，agentlecreatureravagedbyacrueldyspepsia，andsofrightfullylamethathisheadswungthroughaquarterofacircleateverystephetook，declareappreciativelythatforonesoyounghewas“ofgreatgabasidy，“asthoughithadbeenamerequestionofcubiccontents。“Whynotsendhimupcountry？“Isuggestedanxiously。YuckerBrothershadconcessionsandteakforestsintheinterior。“Ifhehascapacity，asyousay，hewillsoongetholdofthework。Andphysicallyheisveryfit。Hishealthisalwaysexcellent。““Ach!It’sagreattingindisgoundrytobevreevromtispepshia，“sighedpoorYuckerenviously，castingastealthyglanceatthepitofhisruinedstomach。Ilefthimdrummingpensivelyonhisdeskandmuttering，“EsisteinIdee。EsisteinIdee。“Unfortunately，thatveryeveninganunpleasantaffairtookplaceinthehotel。
　　`Idon’tknowthatIblameJimverymuch，butitwasatrulyregrettableincident。Itbelongedtothelamentablespeciesofbar-roomscuffles，andtheotherpartytoitwasacross-eyedDaneofsortswhosevisitingcardrecitedunderhismisbegottenname：firstlieutenantintheRoyalSiameseNavy。Thefellow，ofcourse，wasutterlyhopelessatbilliards，butdidnotliketobebeaten，Isuppose。Hehadhadenoughtodrinktoturnnastyafterthesixthgame，andmakesomescornfulremarkatJim’sexpense。Mostofthepeopletheredidn’thearwhatwassaid，andthosewhohadheardseemedtohavehadallpreciserecollectionscaredoutofthembytheappallingnatureoftheconsequencesthatimmediatelyensued。ItwasveryluckyfortheDanethathecouldswim，becausetheroomopenedonaverandaandtheMenamflowedbelowverywideandblack。Aboat-loadofChinamen，bound，aslikelyasnot，onsomethievingexpedition，fishedouttheofficeroftheKingofSiam，andJimturnedupataboutmidnightonboardmyshipwithoutahat。“Everybodyintheroomseemedtoknow，“hesaid，gaspingyetfromthecontest，asitwere。Hewasrathersorry，ongeneralprinciples，forwhathadhappened，thoughinthiscasetherehadbeen，hesaid，“nooption。“Butwhatdismayedhimwastofindthenatureofhisburdenaswellknowntoeverybodyasthoughhehadgoneaboutallthattimecarryingitonhisshoulders。Naturallyafterthishecouldn’tremainintheplace。
　　Hewasuniversallycondemnedforthebrutalviolence，sounbecomingamaninhisdelicateposition；somemaintainedhehadbeendisgracefullydrunkatthetime；otherscriticizedhiswantoftact。EvenSchombergwasverymuchannoyed。“Heisaveryniceyoungman，“hesaid，argumentatively，tome，“butthelieutenantisafirst-ratefellow，too。Hedineseverynightatmytabled’hote，youknow。Andthere’sabilliard-cuebroken。
　　Ican’tallowthat。FirstthingthismorningIwentoverwithmyapologiestothelieutenant，andIthinkI’vemadeitallrightformyself；butonlythink，captain，ifeverybodystartedsuchgames!Why，themanmighthavebeendrowned!AndhereIcan’trunoutintothenextstreetandbuyanewcue。I’vegottowritetoEuropeforthem。No，no!Atemperlikethatwon’tdo!“……Hewasextremelysoreonthesubject。
　　`Thiswastheworstincidentofallinhis——hisretreat。Nobodycoulddeploreitmorethanmyself；forif，assomebodysaidhearinghimmentioned，“Oh，yes!Iknow。Hehasknockedaboutagooddealouthere，“yethehadsomehowavoidedbeingbatteredandchippedintheprocess。Thislastaffair，however，mademeseriouslyuneasy，becauseifhisexquisitesensibilitiesweretogothelengthofinvolvinghiminpot-houseshindies，hewouldlosehisnameofaninoffensive，ifaggravatingfool，andacquirethatofacommonloafer。ForallmyconfidenceinhimIcouldnothelpreflectingthatinsuchcasesfromthenametothethingitselfisbutastep。IsupposeyouwillunderstandthatbythattimeIcouldnotthinkofwashingmyhandsofhim。ItookhimawayfromBangkokinmyship，andwehadalongishpassage。
　　Itwaspitifultoseehowheshrankwithinhimself。Aseaman，evenifamerepassenger，takesaninterestinaship，andlooksatthesea-lifearoundhimwiththecriticalenjoymentofapainter，forinstance，lookingatanotherman’swork。Ineverysenseoftheexpressionheis“ondeck“；
　　butmyJim，forthemostpart，skulkeddownbelowasthoughhehadbeenastowaway。HeinfectedmesothatIavoidedspeakingonprofessionalmatters，suchaswouldsuggestthemselvesnaturallytotwosailorsduringapassage。
　　Forwholedayswedidnotexchangeaword；Ifeltextremelyunwillingtogiveorderstomyofficersinhispresence。Often，whenalonewithhimondeckorinthecabin，wedidn’tknowwhattodowithoureyes。
　　`IplacedhimwithDeJongh，asyouknow，gladenoughtodisposeofhiminanyway，yetpersuadedthathispositionwasnowgrowingintolerable。
　　Hehadlostsomeofthatelasticitywhichhadenabledhimtoreboundbackintohisuncompromisingpositionaftereveryoverthrow。Oneday，comingashore，Isawhimstandingonthequay；thewateroftheroadsteadandtheseaintheoffingmadeonesmoothascendingplane，andtheoutermostshipsatanchorseemedtoridemotionlessinthesky。Hewaswaitingforhisboat，whichwasbeingloadedatourfeetwithpackagesofsmallstoresforsomevesselreadytoleave。Afterexchanginggreetings，weremainedsilent——sidebyside。“Jove!“hesaid，suddenly，“thisiskillingwork。“
　　`Hesmiledatme；Imustsayhegenerallycouldmanageasmile。Imadenoreply。Iknewverywellhewasnotalludingtohisduties；hehadaneasytimeofitwithDeJongh。Nevertheless，assoonashehadspokenI
　　becamecompletelyconvincedthattheworkwaskilling。Ididnotevenlookathim。“Wouldyoulike，“saidI，“toleavethispartoftheworldaltogether；
　　tryCaliforniaortheWestCoast？I’llseewhatIcando……“Heinterruptedmealittlescornfully。“Whatdifferencewoulditmake？“……Ifeltatonceconvincedthathewasright。Itwouldmakenodifference；itwasnotreliefhewanted；Iseemedtoperceivedimlythatwhathewanted，whathewas，asitwere，waitingfor，wassomethingnoteasytodefine——somethinginthenatureofanopportunity。Ihadgivenhimmanyopportunities，buttheyhadbeenmerelyopportunitiestoearnhisbread。Yetwhatmorecouldanymando？Thepositionstruckmeashopeless，andpoorBrierly’ssayingrecurredtome：“Lethimcreeptwentyfeetundergroundandstaythere。“
　　Betterthat，Ithought，thanthiswaitingabovegroundfortheimpossible。
　　Yetonecouldnotbesureevenofthat。Thereandthen，beforehisboatwasthreeoars’lengthsawayfromthequay，IhadmadeupmymindtogoandconsultSteinintheevening。
　　`ThisSteinwasawealthyandrespectedmerchant。His“house“becauseitwasahouse，Stein&；Co。，andtherewassomesortofpartnerwho，asSteinsaid，“lookedaftertheMoluccas“hadalargeinter-islandbusiness，withalotoftradingpostsestablishedinthemostout-of-the-wayplacesforcollectingtheproduce。HiswealthandhisrespectabilitywerenotexactlythereasonswhyIwasanxioustoseekhisadvice。IdesiredtoconfidemydifficultytohimbecausehewasoneofthemosttrustworthymenIhadeverknown。Thegentlelightofasimpleunwearied，asitwere，andintelligentgood-natureilluminedhislonghairlessface。Ithaddeepdownwardfolds，andwaspaleasofamanwhohadalwaysledasedentarylife——whichwasindeedveryfarfrombeingthecase。Hishairwasthin，andbrushedbackfromamassiveandloftyforehead。Onefanciedthatattwentyhemusthavelookedverymuchlikewhathewasnowatthreescore。
　　Itwasastudent’sface；onlytheeyebrowsnearlyallwhite，thickandbushy，togetherwiththeresolutesearchingglancethatcamefromunderthem，werenotinaccordwithhis，Imaysay，learnedappearance。Hewastallandloose-jointed；hisslightstoop，togetherwithaninnocentsmile，madehimappearbenevolentlyreadytolendyouhisear；hislongarmswithpalebighandshadraredeliberategesturesofapointingout，demonstratingkind。Ispeakofhimatlength，becauseunderthisexterior，andinconjunctionwithanuprightandindulgentnature，thismanpossessedanintrepidityofspiritandaphysicalcouragethatcouldhavebeencalledrecklesshaditnotbeenlikeanaturalfunctionofthebody——saygooddigestion，forinstance——completelyunconsciousofitself。Itissometimessaidofamanthathecarrieshislifeinhishand。Suchasayingwouldhavebeeninadequateifappliedtohim；duringtheearlypartofhisexistenceintheEasthehadbeenplayingballwithit。Allthiswasinthepast，butIknewthestoryofhislifeandtheoriginofhisfortune。Hewasalsoanaturalistofsomedistinction，orperhapsIshouldsayalearnedcollector。Entomologywashisspecialstudy。HiscollectionofBuprestidaeandLongicornes——beetlesall——horribleminiaturemonsters，lookingmalevolentindeathandimmobility，andhiscabinetofbutterflies，beautifulandhoveringundertheglassofcasesoflifelesswings，hadspreadhisfamefarovertheearth。Thenameofthismerchant，adventurer，sometimeadviserofaMalaysultantowhomheneveralludedotherwisethanas“mypoorMohammedBonso“，had，onaccountofafewbushelsofdeadinsects，becomeknowntolearnedpersonsinEurope，whocouldhavehadnoconception，andcertainlywouldnothavecaredtoknowanything，ofhislifeorcharacter。I，whoknew，consideredhimaneminentlysuitablepersontoreceivemyconfidencesaboutJim’sdifficultiesaswellasmyown。’