The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Faith of Men, by Jack London

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Title: The Faith of Men

Author: Jack London

Release Date: February 6, 2005 [eBook #1096]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAITH OF MEN***

Transcribed from the 1919 William Heinemann edition by David Price, email
ccx074@coventry.ac.uk

THE FAITH OF MEN

Contents:

A Relic of the Pliocene
A Hyperborean Brew
The Faith of Men
Too Much Gold
The One Thousand Dozen
The Marriage of Lit-lit
Batard
The Story of Jees Uck

A RELIC OF THE PLIOCENE

I wash my hands of him at the start. I cannot father his tales, nor will
I be responsible for them. I make these preliminary reservations,
observe, as a guard upon my own integrity. I possess a certain definite
position in a small way, also a wife; and for the good name of the
community that honours my existence with its approval, and for the sake
of her posterity and mine, I cannot take the chances I once did, nor
foster probabilities with the careless improvidence of youth. So, I
repeat, I wash my hands of him, this Nimrod, this mighty hunter, this
homely, blue-eyed, freckle-faced Thomas Stevens.

Having been honest to myself, and to whatever prospective olive branches
my wife may be pleased to tender me, I can now afford to be generous. I
shall not criticize the tales told me by Thomas Stevens, and, further, I
shall withhold my judgment. If it be asked why, I can only add that
judgment I have none. Long have I pondered, weighed, and balanced, but
never have my conclusions been twice the same--forsooth! because Thomas
Stevens is a greater man than I. If he have told truths, well and good;
if untruths, still well and good. For who can prove? or who disprove? I
eliminate myself from the proposition, while those of little faith may do
as I have done--go find the same Thomas Stevens, and discuss to his face
the various matters which, if fortune serve, I shall relate. As to where
he may be found? The directions are simple: anywhere between 53 north
latitude and the Pole, on the one hand; and, on the other, the likeliest
hunting ground