下载辰思小说免费APP
SeveralmessengersweretobedispatchedindifferentdirectionsafterJim，whoseexactwhereaboutswereunknown。Thesemenstartedatdawn，butbeforethattimeKassimhadmanagedtoopencommunicationswiththebesiegedBrown。
`ThataccomplisheddiplomatistandconfidantoftheRajah，onleavingtheforttogobacktohismaster，tookintohisboatCornelius，whomhefoundslinkingmutelyamongstthepeopleinthecourtyard。Kassimhadalittleplanofhisownandwantedhimforaninterpreter。ThusitcameaboutthattowardsmorningBrown，reflectinguponthedesperatenatureofhisposition，heardfromthemarshyovergrownhollowanamicable，quavering，strainedvoicecrying——inEnglish——forpermissiontocomeup，underapromiseofpersonalsafetyandonaveryimportanterrand。Hewasoverjoyed。Ifhewasspokentohewasnolongerahuntedwildbeast。Thesefriendlysoundstookoffatoncetheawfulstressofvigilantwatchfulnessasofsomanyblindmennotknowingwhencethedeathblowmightcome。Hepretendedagreatreluctance。Thevoicedeclareditself“awhiteman。Apoorruined，oldmanwhohadbeenlivinghereforyears。“Amist，wetandchilly，layontheslopesofthehill，andaftersomemoreshoutingfromonetotheother，Browncalledout，“Comeon，then，butalone，mind!“Asamatteroffact——hetoldme，writhingwithrageattherecollectionofhishelplessness——itmadenodifference。Theycouldn’tseemorethanafewyardsbeforethem，andnotreacherycouldmaketheirpositionworse。ByandbyCornelius，inhisweek-dayattireofaraggeddirtyshirtandpants，barefooted，withabroken-rimmedpithhatonhishead，wasmadeoutvaguely，sidlinguptothedefences，hesitating，stoppingtolisteninapeeringposture。“Comealong!Youaresafe，“yelledBrown，whilehismenstared。Alltheirhopesoflifebecamesuddenlycenteredinthatdilapidated，meannew-comer，whoinprofoundsilenceclamberedclumsilyoverafelledtree-trunk，andshivering，withhissourmistrustfulface，lookedaboutattheknotofbearded，anxious，sleeplessdesperadoes。
`Halfanhour’sconfidentialtalkwithCorneliusopenedBrown’seyesastothehomeaffairsofPatusan。Hewasonthealertatonce。Therewerepossibilities，immensepossibilities；butbeforehewouldtalkoverCornelius’sproposalshedemandedthatsomefoodshouldbesentupasaguaranteeofgoodfaith。Corneliuswentoff，creepingsluggishlydownthehillonthesideoftheRajah’spalace，andaftersomedelayafewofTunkuAllang’smencameup，bringingascantysupplyofrice，chillies，anddriedfish。
Thiswasimmeasurablybetterthannothing。LateronCorneliusreturnedaccompanyingKassim，whosteppedoutwithanairorperfectgood-humouredtrustfulness，insandals，andmuffledupfromnecktoanklesindark-bluesheeting。HeshookhandswithBrowndiscreetly，andthethreedrewasideforaconference。Brown’smen，recoveringtheirconfidence，wereslappingeachotherontheback，andcastknowingglancesattheircaptainwhiletheybusiedthemselveswithpreparationsforcooking。
`KassimdislikedDoraminandhisBugisverymuch，buthehatedtheneworderofthingsstillmore。Ithadoccurredtohimthatthesewhites，togetherwiththeRajah’sfollowers，couldattackanddefeattheBugisbeforeJim’sreturn。Then，hereasoned，generaldefectionofthetownsfolkwassuretofollow，andthereignofthewhitemanwhoprotectedpoorpeoplewouldbeover。Afterwardsthenewalliescouldbedealtwith。Theywouldhavenofriends。Thefellowwasperfectlyabletoperceivethedifferenceofcharacter，andhadseenenoughofwhitementoknowthatthesenew-comerswereoutcasts，menwithoutcountry。Brownpreservedasternandinscrutabledemeanour。WhenhefirstheardCornelius’svoicedemandingadmittance，itbroughtmerelythehopeofaloop-holeforescape。Inlessthananhourotherthoughtswereseethinginhishead。Urgedbyanextremenecessity，hehadcometheretostealfood，afewtonsofrubberorgummaybe，perhapsahandfulofdollars，andhadfoundhimselfenmeshedbydeadlydangers。
NowinconsequenceoftheseoverturesfromKassimhebegantothinkofstealingthewholecountry。Someconfoundedfellowhadapparentlyaccomplishedsomethingofthekind——single-handedatthat。Couldn’thavedoneitverywellthough。Perhapstheycouldworktogether——squeezeeverythingdryandthengooutquietly。InthecourseofhisnegotiationswithKassimhebecameawarethathewassupposedtohaveabigshipwithplentyofmenoutside。
KassimbeggedhimearnestlytohavethisbigshipwithhismanygunsandmenbroughtuptheriverwithoutdelayfortheRajah’sser
