Achainofislandssatbrokenandmassivefacingthewideestuary，displayedinasheetofpaleglassywaterreflectingfaithfullythecontouroftheshore。Highinthecolourlesssunshineasolitarybird，allblack，hovered，droppingandsoaringabovethesamespotwithaslightrockingmotionofthewings。Aragged，sootybunchofflimsymathovelswasperchedoveritsowninvertedimageuponacrookedmultitudeofhighpilesthecolourofebony。Atinyblackcanoeputofffromamongstthemwithtwotinymen，allblack，whotoiledexceedingly，strikingdownatthepalewater：andthecanoeseemedtoslidepainfullyonamirror。Thisbunchofmiserablehovelswasthefishingvillagethatboastedofthewhitelord’sespecialprotection，andthetwomencrossingoverweretheoldhead-manandhisson-in-law。Theylandedandwalkeduptousthewhitesand，lean，dark-brownasifdriedinsmoke，withashypatchesontheskinoftheirnakedshouldersandbreasts。Theirheadswereboundindirtybutcarefullyfoldedhandkerchiefs，andtheoldmanbeganatoncetostateacomplaint，voluble，stretchingalankarm，screwingupatJimhisoldblearedeyesconfidently。TheRajah’speoplewouldnotleavethemalone；therehadbeensometroubleaboutalotofturtles’eggshispeoplehadcollectedontheisletsthere——andleaningatarm’slengthuponhispaddle，hepointedwithabrownskinnyhandoverthesea。Jimlistenedforatimewithoutlookingup，andatlasttoldhimgentlytowait。Hewouldhearhimbyandby。Theywithdrewobedientlytosomelittledistance，andsatontheirheels，withtheirpaddleslyingbeforethemonthesand；thesilverygleamsintheireyesfollowedourmovementspatiently；andtheimmensityoftheoutspreadsea，thestillnessofthecoast，passingnorthandsouthbeyondthelimitsofmyvision，madeuponecolossalPresencewatchingusfourdwarfsisolatedonastripofglisteningsand。
　　“`Thetroubleis，“remarkedJim，moodily，“thatforgenerationsthesebeggarsoffishermeninthatvillagetherehadbeenconsideredastheRajah’spersonalslaves——andtheoldripcan’tgetitintohisheadthat……“
　　`Hepaused。“Thatyouhavechangedallthat，“Isaid。
　　“`Yes。I’vechangedallthat，“hemutteredinagloomyvoice。
　　“`Youhavehadyouropportunity，“Ipursued。
　　“`HadI？“hesaid。“Well，yes。Isupposeso。Yes。Ihavegotbackmyconfidenceinmyself——agoodname——yetsometimesIwish……No!IshallholdwhatI’vegot。Can’texpectanythingmore。“Heflunghisarmouttowardsthesea。“Notoutthereanyhow。“Hestampedhisfootuponthesand。“Thisismylimit，becausenothinglesswilldo。“
　　`Wecontinuedpacingthebeach。“Yes，I’vechangedallthat，“hewenton，withasidelongglanceatthetwopatientsquattingfishermen；“butonlytrytothinkwhatitwouldbeifIwentaway。Jove!can’tyouseeit？Hellloose。No!To-morrowIshallgoandtakemychanceofdrinkingthatsillyoldTunkuAllang’scoffee，andIshallmakenoendoffussovertheserottenturtle’seggs。No。Ican’tsay——enough。Never。Imustgoon，goonforeverholdingupmyend，tofeelsurethatnothingcantouchme。
　　Imuststicktotheirbeliefinmetofeelsafeandto——to“……Hecastaboutforaword，seemedtolookforitonthesea……“tokeepintouchwith“……Hisvoicesanksuddenlytoamurmur……“withthosewhom，perhaps，Ishallneverseeanymore。With——with——you，forinstance。“
　　`Iwasprofoundlyhumbledbyhiswords。“ForGod’ssake，“Isaid，“don’tsetmeup，mydearfellow；justlooktoyourself。“Ifeltagratitude，anaffection，forthatstragglerwhoseeyeshadsingledmeout，keepingmyplaceintheranksofaninsignificantmultitude。Howlittlethatwastoboastof，afterall!Iturnedmyburningfaceaway；underthelowsun，glowing，darkenedandcrimson，likeanembersnatchedfromthefire，thesealayoutspread，offeringallitsimmensestillnesstotheapproachofthefieryorb。Twicehewasgoingtospeak，butcheckedhimself：atlast，asifhehadfoundaformula：
　　“`Ishallbefaithful，“hesaid，quietly。“Ishallbefaithful，“herepeated，withoutlookingatme，butforthefirsttimelettinghiseyeswanderuponthewaters，whosebluenesshadchangedtoagloomypurpleunderthefiresofsunset。Ah!hewasromantic，romantic。IrecalledsomewordsofStein’s……“Inthedestructiveelementimmerse!……Tofollowthedream，andagaintofollowthedream——andso——always——usqueadfinem……“Hewasromantic，butnonethelesstrue。Whocouldtellwhatforms，whatvisions，whatfaces，whatforgivenesshecouldseeintheglowofthewest!……Asmallboat，leavingtheschooner，movedslowly，witharegularbeatoftwooars，towardsthesandbanktotakemeoff。“Andthenthere’sJewel，“hesaid，outofthegreatsilenceofearth，sky，andsea，whichhadmasteredmyverythoughtssothathisvoicemademestart。“There’sJewel。““Yes，“Imurmured。“Ineednottellyouwhatsheistome，“hepursued。“You’veseen。Intimeshewillcometounderstand……““Ihopeso，“Iinterrupted。“Shetrustsme，too，“hemused，andthenchangedhistone。“Whenshallwemeetnext，Iwonder？“hesaid。
　　“`Never——unlessyoucomeout，“Ianswered，avoidinghisglance。Hedidn’tseemtobesurprised；hekeptveryquietforawhile。
　　“`Good-bye，then，“hesaid，afterapause。“Perhapsit’sjustaswell。“
　　`Weshookhands，andIwalkedtotheboat，whichwaitedwithhernoseonthebeach。Theschooner，hermainsailsetandjib-sheettowindward，curvettedonthepurplesea；therewasarosytingeonhersails。“Willyoubegoinghomeagainsoon？“askedJim，justasIswungmylegoverthegunwale。“InayearorsoifIlive，“Isaid。Theforefootgratedonthesand，theboatfloated，thewetoarsflashedanddippedonce，twice。Jim，atthewater’sedge，raisedhisvoice。“Tellthem……“hebegan。Isignedtothementoceaserowing，andwaitedinwonder。Tellwho？Thehalf-submergedsunfacedhim；Icouldseeitsredgleaminhiseyesthatlookeddumblyatme……“No——nothing，“hesaid，andwithaslightwaveofhishandmotionedtheboataway。IdidnotlookagainattheshoretillIhadclamberedonboardtheschooner。
　　`Bythattimethesunhadset。Thetwilightlayoverthetheeast，andthecoast，turnedblack，extendedinfinitelyitssombrewallthatseemedtheverystrongholdofthenight；thewesternhorizonwasonegreatblazeofgoldandcrimsoninwhichabigdetachedcloudfloateddarkandstill，castingaslatyshadowonthewaterbeneath，andIsawJimonthebeachwatchingtheschoonerfalloffandgatherheadway。
　　`Thetwohalf-nakedfishermenhadrisenassoonasIhadgone；theywerenodoubtpouringtheplaintoftheirtrifling，miserable，oppressedlivesintotheearsofthewhitelord，andnodoubthewaslisteningtoit，makingithisown，forwasitnotapartofhisluck——theluck“fromthewordGo“——thelucktowhichhehadassuredmehewassocompletelyequal？They，too，Ishouldthink，wereinluck，andIwassuretheirpertinacitywouldbeequaltoit。Theirdark-skinnedbodiesvanishedonthedarkbackgroundlongbeforeIhadlostsightoftheirprotector。Hewaswhitefromheadtofoot，andremainedpersistentlyvisiblewiththestrongholdofthenightathisback，theseaathisfeet，theopportunitybyhisside——stillveiled。
　　Whatdoyousay？Wasitstillveiled？Idon’tknow。Formethatwhitefigureinthestillnessofcoastandseaseemedtostandattheheartofavastenigma。Thetwilightwasebbingfastfromtheskyabovehishead，thestripofsandhadsunkalreadyunderhisfeet，hehimselfappearednobiggerthanachild——thenonlyaspeck，atinywhitespeck，thatseemedtocatchallthelightleftinadarkenedworld……And，suddenly，Ilosthim。
　　thesewordsMarlowhadendedhisnarrative，andhisaudiencehadbrokenupforthwith，underhisabstract，pensivegaze。
　　Mendriftedofftheverandainpairsoralonewithoutlossoftime，withoutofferingaremark，asifthelastimageofthatincompletestory，itsincompletenessitself，andtheverytoneofthespeaker，hadmadediscussionvainandcommentimpossible。Eachofthemseemedtocarryawayhisownimpression，tocarryitawaywithhimlikeasecret；buttherewasonlyonemanofalltheselistenerswhowasevertohearthelastwordofthestory。Itcametohimathome，morethantwoyearslater，anditcamecontainedinathickpacketaddressedinMarlow’suprightandangularhandwriting。
　　Theprivilegedmanopenedthepacket，lookedin，then，layingitdown，wenttothewindow。Hisroomswereinthehighestflatofaloftybuilding，andhisglancecouldtravelafarbeyondtheclearpanesofglass，asthoughhewerelookingoutofthelanternofalighthouse。Theslopesoftheroofsglistened，thedarkbrokenridgessucceededeachotherwithoutendlikesombre，uncrestedwaves，andfromthedepthsofthetownunderhisfeetascendedaconfusedandunceasingmutter。Thespiresofchurches，numerous，scatteredhaphazard，uproselikebeaconsonamazeofshoalswithoutachannel；thedrivingrainmingledwiththefallingduskofawinter’sevening；
　　andtheboomingofabigclockonatowerstrikingthehour，rolledpastinvoluminous，austereburstsofsound，withashrillvibratingcryatthecore。Hedrewtheheavycurtains。
　　Thelightofhisshadedreading-lampsleptlikeashelteredpool，hisfootfallsmadenosoundonthecarpet，hiswanderingdayswereover。Nomorehorizonsasboundlessashope，nomoretwilightswithintheforestsassolemnastemples，inthehotquestoftheEver-undiscoveredCountryoverthehill，acrossthestream，beyondthewave。Thehourwasstriking!
　　Nomore!Nomore!——buttheopenedpacketunderthelampbroughtbackthesounds，thevisions，theverysavourofthepast——amultitudeoffadingfaces，atumultoflowvoices，dyingawayupontheshoresofdistantseasunderapassionateandunconsolingsunshine。Hesighedandsatdowntoread。
　　Atfirsthesawthreedistinctenclosures。Agoodmanypagescloselyblackenedandpinnedtogether；aloosesquaresheetofgreyishpaperwithafewwordstracedinahandwritinghehadneverseenbefore，andanexplanatoryletterfromMarlow。Fromthislastfellanotherletter，yellowedbytimeandfrayedonthefolds。Hepickeditupand，layingitaside，turnedtoMarlow’smessage，ranswiftlyovertheopeninglines，and，checkinghimself，thereafterreadondeliberately，likeoneapproachingwithslowfeetandalerteyestheglimpseofanundiscoveredcountry。
　　`……Idon’tsupposeyou’veforgotten，’wentontheletter。`Youalonehaveshowedaninterestinhimthatsurvivedthetellingofhisstory，thoughIrememberwellyouwouldnotadmithehadmasteredhisfate。Youprophesiedforhimthedisasterofwearinessandofdisgustwithacquiredhonour，withtheself-appointedtask，withthelovesprungfrompityandyouth。Youhadsaidyouknewsowell“thatkindofthing，“itsillusorysatisfaction，itsunavoidabledeception。Yousaidalso——Icalltomind——that“givingyourlifeuptothem“themmeaningallofmankindwithskinsbrown，yellow，orblackincolour“waslikesellingyoursoultoabrute。“Youcontendedthat“thatkindofthing“wasonlyendurableandenduringwhenbasedonafirmconvictioninthetruthofideasraciallyourown，inwhosenameareestablishedtheorder，themoralityofanethicalprogress。“Wewantitsstrengthatourbacks，“youhadsaid。“Wewantabeliefinitsnecessityanditsjustice，tomakeaworthyandconscioussacrificeofourlives。Withoutitthesacrificeisonlyforgetfulness，thewayofofferingisnobetterthanthewaytoperdition。“Inotherwords，youmaintainedthatwemustfightintheranksorourlivesdon’tcount。
　　Possibly!Yououghttoknow——beitsaidwithoutmalice——youwhohaverushedintooneortwoplacessingle-handedandcameoutcleverly，withoutsingeingyourwings。Thepoint，however，isthatofallmankindJimhadnodealingsbutwithhimself，andthequestioniswhetheratthelasthehadnotconfessedtoafaithmightierthanthelawsoforderandprogress。
　　`Iaffirmnothing。Perhapsyoumaypronounce——afteryou’veread。Thereismuchtruth——afterall——inthecommonexpression“underacloud。“Itisimpossibletoseehimclearly——especiallyasitisthroughtheeyesofothersthatwetakeourlastlookathim。IhavenohesitationinimpartingtoyouallIknowofthelastepisodethat，asheusedtosay，had“cometohim。“Onewonderswhetherthiswasperhapsthatsupremeopportunity，thatlastandsatisfyingtestforwhichIhadalwayssuspectedhimtobewaiting，beforehecouldframeamessagetotheimpeccableworld。YourememberthatwhenIwasleavinghimforthelasttimehehadaskedwhetherIwouldbegoinghomesoon，andsuddenlycriedafterme：“Tellthem!“……Ihadwaited——curiousI’llown，andhopeful，too——onlytohearhimshout，“No——nothing。“
　　Thatwasallthen——andthereshallbenothingmore；thereshallbenomessage，unlesssuchaseachofuscaninterpretforhimselffromthelanguageoffacts，thataresooftenmoreenigmaticthanthecraftiestarrangementofwords。Hemade，itistrue，onemoreattempttodeliverhimself；butthat，too，failed，asyoumayperceiveifyoulookatthesheetofgreyishfoolscapenclosedhere。Hehadtriedtowrite；doyounoticethecommonplacehand？Itisheaded：“TheFort，Patusan。“Isupposehehadcarriedouthisintentionofmakingoutofhishouseaplaceofdefence。Itwasanexcellentplan：adeepditch，anearthwalltoppedbyapalisade，andattheanglesgunsmountedonplatformstosweepeachsideofthesquare。Doraminhadagreedtofurnishhimtheguns；andsoeachmanofhispartywouldknowtherewasaplaceofsafety，uponwhicheveryfaithfulpartisancouldrallyincaseofsomesuddendanger。Allthisshowedhisjudiciousforesight，hisfaithinthefuture。Whathecalled“myownpeople“——theliberatedcaptivesoftheSherif——weretomakeadistinctquarterofPatusan，withtheirhutsandlittleplotsofgroundunderthewallsofthestronghold。
　　Withinhewouldbeaninvinciblehostinhimself。“TheFort，Patusan。“
　　Nodate，asyouobserve。Whatisanumberandanametoadayofdays？