Almayer's Folly: A Story of an Eastern River

for men that listen only half awake by the camp f

told you I believe to be true. I have been safe for many years in the hollow of your hand. This is no tim

" muttered Lak

river to report to his master the events of the morning, and to confer with him upon the line of conduct to pursue in the face of altered circumstances. They were both puzzled and frighten

a, breaking at last the silence full of gloomy forebod

ite and has no decency. She said she was waiting for him while he was here; then, after a long time, he came out of the darkness and fell at her feet exhausted. He lay like one dead, but she brought hi

Lakamba nodded his head.

e knew the Orang Blanda were very near, although he had said nothing to us about that; he knew his great danger. He thought

hat was found in the riv

woman spoke; Dain thought it was good. He took off his anklet and broke it, twisting it round the man's foot. His ring he put on that slave's hand. He took off his sarong and clothed that thing that wanted no clothes, the two women holding it up meanwhile, their intent being to deceive

ed Lakamba. "S

way. Then she waited. At the first sign of daylight she battered the face of the dead with a heavy stone, and she pushed him amongst the logs. She remained near, watching. At sunrise Mahmat Banjer came and found him. They all believed; I m

Orang Blanda," said Lakamba; "but let hi

le, and would raise a great outcry. Also the officers are here. They are angry enou

y angry?" inquired La

ink," added Babalatchi, after a short pause and looking very worried-"I do not think I saw a white chief so angry be

ully. "Listen, Babalatchi: I am sick, and shall

, "I am going over at

best. This is a great trouble

, going close to his m

on board the prau. His father is a great prince, and shall hear of our generosity. Let the prau take him to Ampanam. Your glory shall be great, and your reward in powerful friendship. Almayer wi

ue!" said

man is grieving for the lost treasure, in the manner of white men who thirst after dollars. Now, when all other thi

etting off his chair. "I am very sick, an

arefully thought-of plan. Babalatchi wanted a big canoe manned by twelve men to be sent out after dark towards Bulangi's clearing. Dain may have to be overpowered. A man in love cannot be expected to see clearly the path of safety if it leads him away from the object of his affections, argued Babalatchi, and in that case they would have to use force in order to make him go. Would the Rajah see that trusty men manned the canoe? The

of glittering wavelets, like a band woven of azure and gold edged with the brilliant green of the forests guarding both banks of the Pantai. In the perfect calm before the coming of the afternoon breeze the irregularly jagged line of tree-tops stood unchanging, as if traced by an unsteady hand on the clear blue

ze came down in light puffs, playing capriciously for a time with this emblem of Lakamba's power, that was also the mark of his servitude; then the breeze freshened in a sharp gust of wind, and the flag flew out straight and steady above the trees. A dark shadow ran along the river, rolling over

worldly wisdom. Could anything be more appalling? What if that man should take umbrage at some fancied slight to his honour or disregard of his affections and suddenly "amok"? The wise adviser would be the first victim, no doubt, and death would be his reward. And underlying the horror of this situation there was the danger of those meddlesome fools, the white men. A vision of comfortless exile in far-off Madura rose up before Babalatchi. Wouldn't that be worse than death itself? And there was that half-white woman with threatening eyes. How could he tell what an incomprehensible creature of that sort would or would not do? Sh

darkness. Avoiding the Lingard jetty, he rounded the point, and paddled up the creek at the back of Almayer's house. There were many canoes lying there, their noses all drawn

ailed Babalatchi. "Com

rom boat to boat, and poked his staff viciously in

sed. "I have nearly stepped on your tray. A

slept," whispered

ng to-day, and you will be beaten wh

r over carefully with great satisfaction. Decidedly he would offe

e the night is half over, and that I want him to make all things ready for a long journey. You und

r through the bushes bordering Almayer's compound. She moved a little further off the c

saucepan. He hurled objurgations, in the Canton dialect and bad Malay, against the group of slave-girls standing a little way off, half frightened, half amused, at his violence. From the camping fires

white men?" a

nswered Ali. "Do not stop me, Tuan. I am g

s Mem A

sage. She is liste

in earnest conversation. Through the long passage, closed at the further end by the red curtain, they could hear from time to

said. "He ha

abalatchi. "He will s

yer looke

down the verandah all night, cursing; then we stand afar off," explained Mrs.

d, and his hand, of course, has no streng

tically, but in a cautiously subdue

looked in

n death in that man's eyes more than once when I was younger and he guessed at many thin

o fling unutterable scorn on Almayer's w

r a short silence during which they both listened to Almayer's loud talk till it subsid

d mine without hesitation," said Mrs. Almayer. "When the girl is gone

ered Babalatchi, with a mendacious assumpt

is my daughter also. I shall seek safety at the feet of our Rajah

i raised

l be protected,"

stinct on their ears out of the meaningless jumble of excited shoutings emphasised by the thumping of Almayer's fist upon the table. On the short intervals of silence, the high complaining note of tumblers, standing close together and vibrating to the shock, linger

the passage. At every louder shout they nodded at each other with a ridiculous affectation of scan

s. Almayer. "Yes; he talks like that som

red Babalatchi, eagerly.

t of the white ruler in Batavia, and of protection, and said he had been wronged

trouble between those white men. I will go round now and see. You tell your daughter that there is a sudden and a long journey be

with a thoughtful air, as she crept into the passage after

for flight should his presence prove unwelcome. He felt pretty safe so. The table stood nearly endways to him, and he saw Almayer's back; at Nina he looked full face, and had a side view of both officers; but of the four persons sitting at the table only Nina and the younger officer not

e no grip on this country. I had to take care of myself, and when I asked for protection I

emonstrated the lieutenant; "I

and I gave powder in exchange. How could I know that some of

bottles, trying one after another

" he muttered

r to us your prisoner? I take it you have that Dain Maroola stowed away safely somewhere. Still we ha

ny eyes, his trembling finge

windpipe, you know. Sure you will excuse. I wanted to

" said the lieut

The government is a fool, I tell you. Heaps of gold. I am the

g an unsuccessful attempt to pat the officer on th

y distinctly, in a patronising manner. His head

looked at each

ed in the compound here. I must get some sense out of him. Hi! Almayer! Wake up,

, but his ill-humour vanished at once, and he looked

time for all things," he said,

na, who, leaning back in her cha

e any right to ask you anything, unless, perhaps, to withdraw from this painful scene, but I feel that I must-for your father's good-suggest that you sho

seemed not to take any notice of what he

-" he be

" abruptly asked Nina, leaving her

escape the punishment he deserved for breaking the law. He planned his mischief on a large scale. It is not his fault if it failed, par

white men!" i

Yes, two white men lost their live

!" exclai

ooked at her

u-" he stamme

errupted Nina. "And when you get

till speechless,

I hate the sound of your gentle voices. That is the way you speak to women, dropping sweet words before any pretty face. I have heard your voic

ng defiantly over her father's head at the officer, who had now regained his composure and returned her look with a cool, steady stare. Below, in front of the verandah, they could hea

pered Almayer, absently, dr

eaty. "See those two men looking at us. Send them away. I cannot b

foot tapped the floor with rapid beats in a paroxysm of nervous res

at is the matter?" whi

breath. "One is furious, and the other is dr

he let go his hold and lurched half-way across the verandah. There he pulled hi

eady?" asked t

ready

, lead the way,"

s on him as if he saw

step to save himself from a fall, and remained swaying backwards and forwards. "Two men," he began again, s

e officer impatiently. "Let u

nk I am?" asked

e doing. Enough of this tomfoolery," said the officer stern

I have been trying to get out of this infernal place for twenty y

irs. When in the courtyard the lieutenant approached him, and too

"Where are you going to? There are only planks there. Here

ayer, viciously. "

again! Try t

free. "A hole in the ground. Don't you understand

owing long shadows of house and trees over the courtyard, but the light lingered yet on the river, where the logs went drifting past in midstream, looking very distinct and black in the pale red glow. The trunks of the

certain gesture he seemed to free his throat from the grip of an inv

t. "Are you all there?

, and the body rolled stiffly off the plank

e. "Sorry can do no better. And you can't hang him, either. As you observ

suddenly dark, and in the great stillness the murmur of the flowing water s

s my last. Nothing is left now. You think there is one dead man here? Mistake, I 'sure you. I am much more dead. Why don't you hang me?" he

dragged himself up the stairs by the banister, and managed to reach a chair into which he fell heavily. He sat for awhile panting with exertion and anger, and looking round vaguely for Nina; then making a threatening gesture towards the compou

sses. Mahmat Banjer and a good many others underwent a close examination that dragged its weary length far into the evening. A messenger was sent for Abdulla, who excused himself from coming on the score of his venerable age, but sent Reshid. Mahmat had to produce the bangle, and saw with rage and mortification the lieutenant put it in his pocket, as one of the proofs of Dain's death, to be sent in with the official report of the mission. Babalatchi's ring was also impounded for the same purpose, b

and yawning. "I shall hear some of the captain's complime

this is true?" ask

we could patrol the creeks; and that wouldn't be much good. That drunken madman was rig

le over there," said the sub, with a wa

you been telling her? I was attend

en perfectly civil," pr

lity, then, from what I understand. I thought you

er forget that. Coldl

ily above the trees, and suddenly changed the river into a stream of scintillating silver. The forest came out of

loose planks rattled rhythmically under their steps with obstrusive dry sound in the perf

ear that?"

the other.

aint. Seemed a woman's voice. In th

ung fellows always hear women's voices. If you are going t

hadows grew smaller and crept away as i