A water-clerk need not pass an examination in anything under the sun, but he must have Ability in the abstract and demonstrate it practically. His work consists in racing3 under sail, steam, or oars4 against other water-clerks for any ship about to anchor, greeting her captain cheerily, forcing upon him a card -- the business card of the ship-chandler -- and on his first visit on shore piloting him firmly but without ostentation5 to a vast, cavern-like shop which is full of things that are eaten and drunk on board ship; where you can get everything to make her seaworthy and beautiful, from a set of chain-hooks for her cable to a book of gold-leaf for the carvings6 of her stern; and where her commander is received like a brother by a ship-chandler he has never seen before. There is a cool parlour, easy-chairs, bottles, cigars, writing implements7, a copy of harbour regulations, and a warmth of welcome that melts the salt of a three months' passage out of a seaman8's heart. The connection thus begun is kept up, as long as the ship remains9 in harbour, by the daily visits of the water-clerk. To the captain he is faithful like a friend and attentive10 like a son, with the patience of Job, the unselfish devotion of a woman, and the jollity of a boon11 companion. Later on the bill is sent in. It is a beautiful and humane12 occupation. Therefore good water-clerks are scarce. When a water-clerk who possesses Ability in the abstract has also the advantage of having been brought up to the sea, he is worth to his employer a lot of money and some humouring. Jim had always good wages and as much humouring as would have bought the fidelity13 of a fiend. Nevertheless, with black ingratitude14 he would throw up the job suddenly and depart. To his employers the reasons he gave were obviously inadequate15. They said 'Confounded fool!' as soon as his back was turned. This was their criticism on his exquisite16 sensibility.
To the white men in the waterside business and to the captains of ships he was just Jim -- nothing more. He had, of course, another name, but he was anxious that it should not be pronounced. His incognito17, which had as many holes as a sieve18, was not meant to hide a personality but a fact. When the fact broke through the incognito he would leave suddenly the seaport19 where he happened to be at the time and go to another -- generally farther east. He kept to seaports20 because he was a seaman in exile from the sea, and had Ability in the abstract, which is good for no other work but that of a water-clerk. He retreated in good order towards the rising sun, and the fact followed him casually21 but inevitably22. Thus in the course of years he was known successively in Bombay, in Calcutta, in Rangoon, in Penang, in Batavia -- and in each of these haltingplaces was just Jim the water-clerk. Afterwards, when his keen perception of the Intolerable drove him away for good from seaports and white men, even into the virgin23 forest, the Malays of the jungle village, where he had elected to conceal24 his deplorable faculty25, added a word to the monosyllable of his incognito. They called him Tuan Jim: as one might say -- Lord Jim.
Originally he came from a parsonage. Many commanders of fine merchant-ships come from these abodes26 of piety27 and peace. Jim's father possessed28 such certain knowledge of the Unknowable as made for the righteousness of people in cottages without disturbing the ease of mind of those whom an unerring Providence29 enables to live in mansions30. The little church on a hill had the mossy greyness of a rock seen through a ragged31 screen of leaves. It had stood there for centuries, but the trees around probably remembered the laying of the first stone. Below, the red front of the rectory gleamed with a warm tint32 in the midst of grass-plots, flower-beds, and fir-trees, with an orchard33 at the back, a paved stable-yard to the left, and the sloping glass of greenhouses tacked34 along a wall of bricks. The living had belonged to the family for generations; but Jim was one of five sons, and when after a course of light holiday literature his vocation35 for the sea had declared itself, he was sent at once to a 'training-ship for officers of the mercantile marine36.'
He learned there a little trigonometry and how to cross top-gallant yards. He was generally liked. He had the third place in navigation and pulled stroke in the first cutter. Having a steady head with an excellent physique, he was very smart aloft. His station was in the fore-top, and often from there he looked down, with the contempt of a man destined37 to shine in the midst of dangers, at the peaceful multitude of roofs cut in two by the brown tide of the stream, while scattered38 on the outskirts39 of the surrounding plain the factory chimneys rose perpendicular40 against a grimy sky, each slender like a pencil, and belching41 out smoke like a volcano. He could see the big ships departing, the broad-beamed ferries constantly on the move, the little boats floating far below his feet, with the hazy42 splendour of the sea in the distance, and the hope of a stirring life in the world of adventure.
On the lower deck in the babel of two hundred voices he would forget himself, and beforehand live in his mind the sea-life of light literature. He saw himself saving people from sinking ships, cutting away masts in a hurricane, swimming through a surf with a line; or as a lonely castaway, barefooted and half naked, walking on uncovered reefs in search of shellfish to stave off starvation. He confronted savages43 on tropical shores, quelled44 mutinies on the high seas, and in a small boat upon the ocean kept up the hearts of despairing men -- always an example of devotion to duty, and as unflinching as a hero in a book.
'Something's up. Come along.'
He leaped to his feet. The boys were streaming up the ladders. Above could be heard a great scurrying45 about and shouting, and when he got through the hatchway he stood still -- as if confounded.
It was the dusk of a winter's day. The gale46 had freshened since noon, stopping the traffic on the river, and now blew with the strength of a hurricane in fitful bursts that boomed like salvoes of great guns firing over the ocean. The rain slanted47 in sheets that flicked48 and subsided49, and between whiles Jim had threatening glimpses of the tumbling tide, the small craft jumbled50 and tossing along the shore, the motionless buildings in the driving mist, the broad ferry-boats pitching ponderously51 at anchor, the vast landingstages heaving up and down and smothered52 in sprays. The next gust53 seemed to blow all this away. The air was full of flying water. There was a fierce purpose in the gale, a furious earnestness in the screech54 of the wind, in the brutal55 tumult56 of earth and sky, that seemed directed at him, and made him hold his breath in awe57. He stood still. It seemed to him he was whirled around.
He was jostled. 'Man the cutter!' Boys rushed past him. A coaster running in for shelter had crashed through a schooner58 at anchor, and one of the ship's instructors59 had seen the accident. A mob of boys clambered on the rails, clustered round the davits. 'Collision. Just ahead of us. Mr Symons saw it.' A push made him stagger against the mizzen-mast, and he caught hold of a rope. The old training-ship chained to her moorings quivered all over, bowing gently head to wind, and with her scanty60 rigging humming in a deep bass61 the breathless song of her youth at sea. 'Lower away!' He saw the boat, manned, drop swiftly below the rail, and rushed after her. He heard a splash. 'Let go; clear the falls!' He leaned over. The river alongside seethed62 in frothy streaks63. The cutter could be seen in the falling darkness under the spell of tide and wind, that for a moment held her bound, and tossing abreast64 of the ship. A yelling voice in her reached him faintly: 'Keep stroke, you young whelps, if you want to save anybody! Keep stroke!' And suddenly she lifted high her bow, and, leaping with raised oars over a wave, broke the spell cast upon her by the wind and tide.
Jim felt his shoulder gripped firmly. 'Too late, youngster.' The captain of the ship laid a restraining hand on that boy, who seemed on the point of leaping overboard, and Jim looked up with the pain of conscious defeat in his eyes. The captain smiled sympathetically. 'Better luck next time. This will teach you to be smart.'
A shrill65 cheer greeted the cutter. She came dancing back half full of water, and with two exhausted66 men washing about on her bottom boards. The tumult and the menace of wind and sea now appeared very contemptible67 to Jim, increasing the regret of his awe at their inefficient68 menace. Now he knew what to think of it. It seemed to him he cared nothing for the gale. He could affront69 greater perils70. He would do so -- better than anybody. Not a particle of fear was left. Nevertheless he brooded apart that evening while the bowman of the cutter -- a boy with a face like a girl's and big grey eyes -- was the hero of the lower deck. Eager questioners crowded round him. He narrated71: 'I just saw his head bobbing, and I dashed my boathook in the water. It caught in his breeches and I nearly went overboard, as I thought I would, only old Symons let go the tiller and grabbed my legs -- the boat nearly swamped. Old Symons is a fine old chap. l don't mind a bit him being grumpy with us. He swore at me all the time he held my leg, but that was only his way of telling me to stick to the boat-hook. Old Symons is awfully72 excitable -- isn't he? No -- not the little fair chap -- the other, the big one with a beard. When we pulled him in he groaned73, "Oh, my leg! oh, my leg!" and turned up his eyes. Fancy such a big chap fainting like a girl. Would any of you fellows faint for a jab with a boathook? -- I wouldn't. It went into his leg so far.' He showed the boathook, which he had carried below for the purpose, and produced a sensation. 'No, silly! It was not his flesh that held him -- his breeches did. Lots of blood, of course.'
Jim thought it a pitiful display of vanity. The gale had ministered to a heroism74 as spurious as its own pretence75 of terror. He felt angry with the brutal tumult of earth and sky for taking him unawares and checking unfairly a generous readiness for narrow escapes. Otherwise he was rather glad he had not gone into the cutter, since a lower achievement had served the turn. He had enlarged his knowledge more than those who had done the work. When all men flinched76, then -- he felt sure -- he alone would know how to deal with the spurious menace of wind and seas. He knew what to think of it. Seen dispassionately, it seemed contemptible. He could detect no trace of emotion in himself, and the final effect of a staggering event was that, unnoticed and apart from the noisy crowd of boys, he exulted77 with fresh certitude in his avidity for adventure, and in a sense of many-sided courage.
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1
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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ostentation
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| n.夸耀，卖弄 | |
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carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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ingratitude
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| n.忘恩负义 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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incognito
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| adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的 | |
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sieve
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| n.筛，滤器，漏勺 | |
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seaport
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| n.海港，港口，港市 | |
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seaports
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| n.海港( seaport的名词复数 ) | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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34
tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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41
belching
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| n. 喷出，打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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42
hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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43
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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44
quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
scurrying
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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46
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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47
slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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48
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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49
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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50
jumbled
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| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 | |
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51
ponderously
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52
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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53
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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54
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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55
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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56
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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57
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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58
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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instructors
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| 指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
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60
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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61
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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62
seethed
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| （液体）沸腾( seethe的过去式和过去分词 )； 激动，大怒； 强压怒火； 生闷气(~with sth|~ at sth) | |
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63
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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64
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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66
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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67
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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inefficient
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| adj.效率低的，无效的 | |
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affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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70
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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71
narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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73
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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74
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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75
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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76
flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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exulted
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| 狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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