Lord Jim

第50章

`Tamb’ItamtookthepaddlefromJim’shands,itbeingunseemlythatheshouldsitwhilehislordpaddled。Whentheyreachedtheothershorehismasterforbadehimtocomeanyfarther;butTamb’Itamdidfollowhimatadistance,walkinguptheslopetoDoramin’scampong。

`Itwasbeginningtogrowdark。Torchestwinkledhereandthere。Thosetheymetseemedawestruck,andstoodasidehastilytoletJimpass。Thewailingofwomencamefromabove。ThecourtyardwasfullofarmedBugiswiththeirfollowers,andofPatusanpeople。

`Idonotknowwhatthisgatheringreallymeant。Werethesepreparationsforwar,orforvengeance,ortorepulseathreatenedinvasion?Manydayselapsedbeforethepeoplehadceasedtolookout,quaking,forthereturnofthewhitemenwithlongbeardsandinrags,whoseexactrelationtotheirownwhitemantheycouldneverunderstand。EvenforthosesimplemindspoorJimremainsunderacloud。

`Doramin,alone,immenseanddesolate,satinhisarm-chairwiththepairofflintlockpistolsonhisknees,facedbyanarmedthrong。WhenJimappeared,atsomebody’sexclamation,alltheheadsturnedroundtogether,andthenthemassopenedrightandleft,andhewalkedupalaneofavertedglances。Whispersfollowedhim;murmurs:“Hehasworkedalltheevil。“

“Hehathacharm。“……Heheardthem——perhaps!

`Whenhecameupintothelightoftorchesthewailingofthewomenceasedsuddenly。Doramindidnotlifthishead,andJimstoodsilentbeforehimforatime。Thenhelookedtotheleft,andmovedinthatdirectionwithmeasuredsteps。DainWaris’smothercrouchedattheheadofthebody,andthegreydishevelledhairconcealedherface。Jimcameu

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