'It comes to me now that I had, on the whole, seen very little of her. What I remember best is the even, olive pallor of her complexion9, and the intense blue-black gleams of her hair, flowing abundantly from under a small crimson10 cap she wore far back on her shapely head. Her movements were free, assured, and she blushed a dusky red. While Jim and I were talking, she would come and go with rapid glances at us, leaving on her passage an impression of grace and charm and a distinct suggestion of watchfulness11. Her manner presented a curious combination of shyness and audacity12. Every pretty smile was succeeded swiftly by a look of silent, repressed anxiety, as if put to flight by the recollection of some abiding13 danger. At times she would sit down with us and, with her soft cheek dimpled by the knuckles14 of her little hand, she would listen to our talk; her big clear eyes would remain fastened on our lips, as though each pronounced word had a visible shape. Her mother had taught her to read and write; she had learned a good bit of English from Jim, and she spoke15 it most amusingly, with his own clipping, boyish intonation16. Her tenderness hovered17 over him like a flutter of wings. She lived so completely in his contemplation that she had acquired something of his outward aspect, something that recalled him in her movements, in the way she stretched her arm, turned her head, directed her glances. Her vigilant18 affection had an intensity19 that made it almost perceptible to the senses; it seemed actually to exist in the ambient matter of space, to envelop20 him like a peculiar fragrance21, to dwell in the sunshine like a tremulous, subdued22, and impassioned note. I suppose you think that I too am romantic, but it is a mistake. I am relating to you the sober impressions of a bit of youth, of a strange uneasy romance that had come in my way. I observed with interest the work of his -- well -good fortune. He was jealously loved, but why she should be jealous, and of what, I could no t tell. The land, the people, the forests were h
er accomplices23, guarding him with vigilant accord, with an air of seclusion24, of mystery, of invincible25 possession. There was no appeal, as it were; he was imprisoned26 within the very freedom of his power, and she, though ready to make a footstool of her head for his feet, guarded her conquest inflexibly27 -- as though he were hard to keep. The very Tamb' Itam, marching on our journeys upon the heels of his white lord, with his head thrown back, truculent28 and be-weaponed like a janissary, with kriss, chopper, and lance (besides carrying Jim's gun); even Tamb' Itam allowed himself to put on the airs of uncompromising guardianship29, like a surly devoted30 jailer ready to lay down his life for his captive. On the evenings when we sat up late, his silent, indistinct form would pass and repass under the verandah, with noiseless footsteps, or lifting my head I would unexpectedly make him out standing31 rigidly32 erect33 in the shadow. As a general rule he would vanish after a time, without a sound; but when we rose he would spring up close to us as if from the ground, ready for any orders Jim might wish to give. The girl too, I believe, never went to sleep till we had separated for the night. More than once I saw her and Jim through the window of my room come out together quietly and lean on the rough balustrade -- two white forms very close, his arm about her waist, her head on his shoulder. Their soft murmurs34 reached me, penetrating35, tender, with a calm sad note in the stillness of the night, like a selfcommunion of one being carried on in two tones. Later on, tossing on my bed under the mosquito-net, I was sure to hear slight creakings, faint breathing, a throat cleared cautiously -- and I would know that Tamb' Itam was still on the prowl. Though he had (by the favour of the white lord) a house in the compound, had "taken wife," and had lately been blessed with a child, I believe that, during my stay at all events, he slept on the ve randah every night. It was very difficult to make this faithful and grim retainer talk. Even Jim
himself was answered in jerky short sentences, under protest as it were. Talking, he seemed to imply, was no business of his. The longest speech I heard him volunteer was one morning when, suddenly extending his hand towards the courtyard, he pointed36 at Cornelius and said, "Here comes the Nazarene." I don't think he was addressing me, though I stood at his side; his object seemed rather to awaken37 the indignant attention of the universe. Some muttered allusions38, which followed, to dogs and the smell of roast-meat, struck me as singularly felicitous39. The courtyard, a large square space, was one torrid blaze of sunshine, and, bathed in intense light, Cornelius was creeping across in full view with an inexpressible effect of stealthiness, of dark and secret slinking. He reminded one of everything that is unsavoury. His slow laborious40 walk resembled the creeping of a repulsive41 beetle42, the legs alone moving with horrid43 industry while the body glided44 evenly. I suppose he made straight enough for the place where he wanted to get to, but his progress with one shoulder carried forward seemed oblique45. He was often seen circling slowly amongst the sheds, as if following a scent46; passing before the verandah with upward stealthy glances; disappearing without haste round the corner of some hut. That he seemed free of the place demonstrated Jim's absurd carelessness or else his infinite disdain47, for Cornelius had played a very dubious48 part (to say the least of it) in a certain episode which might have ended fatally for Jim. As a matter of fact, it had redounded49 to his glory. But everything redounded to his glory; and it was the irony50 of his good fortune that he, who had been too careful of it once, seemed to bear a charmed life.
'You must know he had left Doramin's place very soon after his arrival -- much too soon, in fact, for his safety, and of course a long time before the war. In this he was actuated by a sense of duty; he had to look after Stein's business, he said. Hadn't he? To that end, with an utter disregard of his personal safety, he crossed the river and took up his quarters with Cornelius. How the latter had managed to exist through the troubled times I can't say. As Stein's agent, after all, he must have had Doramin's protection in a measure; and in one way or another he had managed to wriggle51 through all the deadly complications, while I have no doubt that his conduct, whatever line he was forced to take, was marked by that abjectness53 which was like the stamp of the man. That was his characteristic; he was fundamentally and outwardly abject52, as other men are markedly of a generous, distinguished54, or venerable appearance. It was the element of his nature which permeated55 all his acts and passions and emotions; he raged abjectly56, smiled abjectly, was abjectly sad; his civilities and his indignations were alike abject. I am sure his love would have been the most abject of sentiments -- but can one imagine a loathsome57 insect in love? And his loathsomeness58, too, was abject, so that a simply disgusting person would have appeared noble by his side. He has his place neither in the background nor in the foreground of the story; he is simply seen skulking59 on its outskirts60, enigmatical and unclean, tainting61 the fragrance of its youth and of its naiveness62.
'His position in any case could not have been other than extremely miserable63, yet it may very well be that he found some advantages in it. Jim told me he had been received at first with an abject display of the most amicable64 sentiments. "The fellow apparently65 couldn't contain himself for joy," said Jim with disgust. "He flew at me every morning to shake both my hands -- confound him! -- but I could never tell whether there would be any breakfast. If I got three meals in two days I considered myself jolly lucky, and he made me sign a chit for ten dollars every week. Said he was sure Mr. Stein did not mean him to keep me for nothing. Well -- he kept me on nothing as near as possible. Put it down to the unsettled state of the country, and made as if to tear his hair out, begging my pardon twenty times a day, so that I had at last to entreat66 him not to worry. It made me sick. Half the roof of his house had fallen in, and the whole place had a mangy look, with wisps of dry grass sticking out and the corners of broken mats flapping on every wall. He did his best to make out that Mr. Stein owed him money on the last three years' trading, but his books were all torn, and some were missing. He tried to hint it was his late wife's fault. Disgusting scoundrel! At last I had to forbid him to mention his late wife at all. It made Jewel cry. I couldn't discover what became of all the trade-goods; there was nothing in the store but rats, having a high old time amongst a litter of brown paper and old sacking. I was assured on every hand that he had a lot of money buried somewhere, but of course could get nothing out of him. It was the most miserable existence I led there in that wretched house. I tried to do my duty by Stein, but I had also other matters to think of. When I escaped to Doramin old Tunku Allang got frightened and returned all my things. It was done in a roundabout way, and with no end of mystery, through a Chinaman who keeps a small shop here; but as soon as I le ft the Bugis quarter and went to live with Corne
lius it began to be said openly that the Rajah had made up his mind to have me killed before long. Pleasant, wasn't it? And I couldn't see what there was to prevent him if he really had made up his mind. The worst of it was, I couldn't help feeling I wasn't doing any good either for Stein or for myself. Oh! it was beastly -- the whole six weeks of it." '
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1
marital
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| adj.婚姻的，夫妻的 | |
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2
aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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3
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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utilitarian
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| adj.实用的，功利的 | |
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civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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6
wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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7
futility
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| n.无用 | |
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truthfulness
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| n. 符合实际 | |
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9
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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10
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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11
watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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12
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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13
abiding
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| adj.永久的，持久的，不变的 | |
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14
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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15
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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16
intonation
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| n.语调，声调；发声 | |
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17
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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18
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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19
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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20
envelop
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| vt.包，封，遮盖；包围 | |
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21
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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22
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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23
accomplices
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| 从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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24
seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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26
imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inflexibly
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| adv.不屈曲地，不屈地 | |
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truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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guardianship
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| n. 监护, 保护, 守护 | |
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30
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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31
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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34
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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35
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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36
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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37
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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38
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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39
felicitous
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| adj.恰当的，巧妙的；n.恰当，贴切 | |
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40
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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41
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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42
beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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43
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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44
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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45
oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 | |
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46
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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47
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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48
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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49
redounded
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| v.有助益( redound的过去式和过去分词 )；及于；报偿；报应 | |
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50
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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51
wriggle
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| v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒 | |
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52
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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53
abjectness
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| 凄惨； 绝望； 卑鄙； 卑劣 | |
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54
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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55
permeated
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| 弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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56
abjectly
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| 凄惨地； 绝望地； 糟透地； 悲惨地 | |
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57
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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58
loathsomeness
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59
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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60
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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61
tainting
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| v.使变质( taint的现在分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏 | |
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62
naiveness
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| 自然； 朴素 | |
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63
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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64
amicable
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| adj.和平的，友好的；友善的 | |
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65
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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66
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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