owards the table
and sat down, his head between his hands, staring straight before him,
Lingard, who had recommenced walking, cleared his throat and said--

"What was it you were saying?"

"Ah! Yes! You should have seen this settlement that night. I don't think
anybody went to bed. I walked down to the point, and could see them.
They had a big bonfire in the palm grove, and the talk went on there
till the morning. When I came back here and sat in the dark verandah in
this quiet house I felt so frightfully lonely that I stole in and took
the child out of her cot and brought her here into my hammock. If it
hadn't been for her I am sure I would have gone mad; I felt so utterly
alone and helpless. Remember, I hadn't heard from you for four months.
Didn't know whether you were alive or dead. Patalolo would have nothing
to do with me. My own men were deserting me like rats do a sinking hulk.
That was a black night for me, Captain Lingard. A black night as I sat
here not knowing what would happen next. They were so excited and rowdy
that I really feared they would come and burn the house over my head.
I went and brought my revolver. Laid it loaded on the table. There were
such awful yells now and then. Luckily the child slept through it, and
seeing her so pretty and peaceful steadied me somehow. Couldn't believe
there was any violence in this world, looking at her lying so quiet and
so unconscious of what went on. But it was very hard. Everything was at
an end. You must understand that on that night there was no government
in Sambir. Nothing to restrain those fellows. Patalolo had collapsed. I
was abandoned by my own people, and all that lot could vent their spite
on me if they wanted. They know no gratitude. How many times haven't I
saved this settlement from starvation? Absolute starvation. Only three
months ago I distributed again a lot of rice on credit. There was
nothing to eat in this infernal place. They came begging on their
knees. There isn't a man in Sambir, big or little, who is not in debt to
Lingard & Co. Not one. You ought to be satisfied. You always said
that was the right policy for us. Well, I carried it out. Ah! Captain
Lingard, a policy like that should be backed by loaded rifles . . ."

"You had them!" exclaimed Lingard in the midst of his promenade, that
went on more rapid as Almayer talked: the headlong tramp of a man
hurrying on to do something violent. The verandah was full of dust,
oppressive and cho