下载辰思小说免费APP
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’sJe
