The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window. His rooms were in the highest flat of a lofty building, and his glance could travel afar beyond the clear panes3 of glass, as though he were looking out of the lantern of a lighthouse. The slopes of the roofs glistened4, the dark broken ridges5 succeeded each other without end like sombre, uncrested waves, and from the depths of the town under his feet ascended6 a confused and unceasing mutter. The spires7 of churches, numerous, scattered8 haphazard9, uprose like beacons10 on a maze11 of shoals without a channel; the driving rain mingled12 with the falling dusk of a winter's evening; and the booming of a big clock on a tower, striking the hour, rolled past in voluminous, austere13 bursts of sound, with a shrill14 vibrating cry at the core. He drew the heavy curtains.
The light of his shaded reading-lamp slept like a sheltered pool, his footfalls made no sound on the carpet, his wandering days were over. No more horizons as boundless15 as hope, no more twilights within the forests as solemn as temples, in the hot quest for the Ever-undiscovered Country over the hill, across the stream, beyond the wave. The hour was striking! No more! No more! -- but the opened packet under the lamp brought back the sounds, the visions, the very savour of the past -- a multitude of fading faces, a tumult16 of low voices, dying away upon the shores of distant seas under a passionate17 and unconsoling sunshine. He sighed and sat down to read.
At first he saw three distinct enclosures. A good many pages closely blackened and pinned together; a loose square sheet of greyish paper with a few words traced in a handwriting he had never seen before, and an explanatory letter from Marlow. From this last fell another letter, yellowed by time and frayed18 on the folds. He picked it up and, laying it aside, turned to Marlow's message, ran swiftly over the opening lines, and, checking himself, thereafter read on deliberately19, like one approaching with slow feet and alert eyes the glimpse of an undiscovered country.
'. . . I don't suppose you've forgotten,' went on the letter. 'You alone have showed an interest in him that survived the telling of his story, though I remember well you would not admit he had mastered his fate. You prophesied20 for him the disaster of weariness and of disgust with acquired honour, with the self-appointed task, with the love sprung from pity and youth. You had said you knew so well "that kind of thing," its illusory satisfaction, its unavoidable deception21. You said also -- I call to mind -- that "giving your life up to them" (them meaning all of mankind with skins brown, yellow, or black in colour) "was like selling your soul to a brute22." You contended that "that kind of thing" was only endurable and enduring when based on a firm conviction in the truth of ideas racially our own, in whose name are established the order, the morality of an ethical23 progress. "We want its strength at our backs," you had said. "We want a belief in its necessity and its justice, to make a worthy24 and conscious sacrifice of our lives. Without it the sacrifice is only forgetfulness, the way of offering is no better than the way to perdition." In other words, you maintained that we must fight in the ranks or our lives don't count. Possibly! You ought to know -- be it said without malice25 -- you who have rushed into one or two places single-handed and came out cleverly, without singeing26 your wings. The point, however, is that of all mankind Jim had no dealings but with himself, and the question is whether at the last he had not confessed to a faith mightier27 than the laws of order and progress.
'I affirm nothing. Perhaps you may pronounce -- after you've read. There is much truth -- after all -- in the common expression "under a cloud." It is impossible to see him clearly -- especially as it is through the eyes of others that we take our last look at him. I have no hesitation28 in imparting to you all I know of the last episode that, as he used to say, had "come to him." One wonders whether this was perhaps that supreme29 opportunity, that last and satisfying test for which I had always suspected him to be waiting, before he could frame a message to the impeccable world. You remember that when I was leaving him for the last time he had asked whether I would be going home soon, and suddenly cried after me, "Tell them . . ." I had waited -- curious I'll own, and hopeful too -- only to hear him shout, "No -- nothing." That was all then -- and there will be nothing more; there will be no message, unless such as each of us can interpret for himself from the language of facts, that are so often more enigmatic than the craftiest30 arrangement of words. He made, it is true, one more attempt to deliver himself; but that too failed, as you may perceive if you look at the sheet of greyish foolscap enclosed here. He had tried to write; do you notice the commonplace hand? It is headed "The Fort, Patusun." I suppose he had carried out his intention of making out of his house a place of defence. It was an excellent plan: a deep ditch, an earth wall topped by a palisade, and at the angles guns mounted on platforms to sweep each side of the square. Doramin had agreed to furnish him the guns; and so each man of his party would know there was a place of safety, upon which every faithful partisan31 could rally in case of some sudden danger. All this showed his judicious32 foresight33, his faith in the future. What he called "my own people" -- the liberated34 captives of the Sherif -- were to make a distinct quarter of Patusan, with their huts and little plots of ground under the walls of the stronghold. Within he would be an invinci
ble host in himself "The Fort, Patusan." No date, as you observe. What is a number and a name to a day of days? It is also impossible to say whom he had in his mind when he seized the pen: Stein -- myself -- the world at large -or was this only the aimless startled cry of a solitary35 man confronted by his fate? "An awful thing has happened," he wrote before he flung the pen down for the first time; look at the ink blot36 resembling the head of an arrow under these words. After a while he had tried again, scrawling37 heavily, as if with a hand of lead, another line. "I must now at once . . ." The pen had spluttered, and that time he gave it up. There's nothing more; he had seen a broad gulf38 that neither eye nor voice could span. I can understand this. He was overwhelmed by the inexplicable39; he was overwhelmed by his own personality -- the gift of that destiny which he had done his best to master.
'I send you also an old letter -- a very old letter. It was found carefully preserved in his writing-case. It is from his father, and by the date you can see he must have received it a few days before he joined the Patna. Thus it must be the last letter he ever had from home. He had treasured it all these years. The good old parson fancied his sailor son. I've looked in at a sentence here and there. There is nothing in it except just affection. He tells his "dear James" that the last long letter from him was very "honest and entertaining." He would not have him "judge men harshly or hastily. " There are four pages of it, easy morality and family news. Tom had "taken orders." Carrie's husband had "money losses." The old chap goes on equably trusting Providence40 and the established order of the universe, but alive to its small dangers and its small mercies. One can almost see him, greyhaired and serene41 in the inviolable shelter of his book-lined, faded, and comfortable study, where for forty years he had conscientiously42 gone over and over again the round of his little thoughts about faith and virtue43, about the conduct of life and the only proper manner of dying; where he had written so many sermons, where he sits talking to his boy, over there, on the other side of the earth. But what of the distance? Virtue is one all over the world, and there is only one faith, one conceivable conduct of life, one manner of dying. He hopes his "dear James" will never forget that "who once gives way to temptation, in the very instant hazards his total depravity and everlasting44 ruin. Therefore resolve fixedly45 never, through any possible motives46, to do anything which you believe to be wrong." There is also some news of a favourite dog; and a pony47, "which all you boys used to ride," had gone blind from old age and had to be shot. The old chap invokes48 Heaven's blessing49; the mother and all the girls then at home send their love.... No, there is nothing much in that yellow frayed letter fluttering out of his cherishing grasp after so
many years. It was never answered, but who can say what converse50 he may have held with all these placid51, colourless forms of men and women peopling that quiet corner of the world as free of danger or strife52 as a tomb, and breathing equably the air of undisturbed rectitude. It seems amazing that he should belong to it, he to whom so many things "had come. "Nothing ever came to them; they would never be taken unawares, and never be called upon to grapple with fate. Here they all are, evoked53 by the mild gossip of the father, all these brothers and sisters, bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, gazing with clear unconscious eyes, while I seem to see him, returned at last, no longer a mere54 white speck55 at the heart of an immense mystery, but of full stature56, standing57 disregarded amongst their untroubled shapes, with a stern and romantic aspect, but always mute, dark -- under a cloud.
'The story of the last events you will find in the few pages enclosed here. You must admit that it is romantic beyond the wildest dreams of his boyhood, and yet there is to my mind a sort of profound and terrifying logic58 in it, as if it were our imagination alone that could set loose upon us the might of an overwhelming destiny. The imprudence of our thoughts recoils59 upon our heads; who toys with the sword shall perish by the sword. This astounding60 adventure, of which the most astounding part is that it is true, comes on as an unavoidable consequence. Something of the sort had to happen. You repeat this to yourself while you marvel61 that such a thing could happen in the year of grace before last. But it has happened -- and there is no disputing its logic.
'I put it down here for you as though I had been an eyewitness62. My information was fragmentary, but I've fitted the pieces together, and there is enough of them to make an intelligible63 picture. I wonder how he would bave related it himself. He has confided64 so much in me that at times it seems as though he must come in presently and tell the story in his own words, in his careless yet feeling voice, with his offhand65 manner, a little puzzled, a little bothered, a little hurt, but now and then by a word or a phrase giving one of these glimpses of his very own self that were never any good for purposes of orientation66. It's difficult to believe he will never come. I shall never hear his voice again, nor shall I see his smooth tan-and-pink face with a white line on the forehead, and the youthful eyes darkened by excitement to a profound, unfathomable blue.'
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1
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spires
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| n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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8
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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9
haphazard
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| adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的 | |
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beacons
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| 灯塔( beacon的名词复数 )； 烽火； 指路明灯； 无线电台或发射台 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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12
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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13
austere
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| adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的 | |
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14
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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15
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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18
frayed
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| adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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ethical
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| adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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26
singeing
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的现在分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿]；烧毛 | |
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27
mightier
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| adj. 强有力的，强大的，巨大的 adv. 很，极其 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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craftiest
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| 狡猾的，狡诈的( crafty的最高级 ) | |
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partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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foresight
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| n.先见之明，深谋远虑 | |
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liberated
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| a.无拘束的，放纵的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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36
blot
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| vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍 | |
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scrawling
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| 乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的现在分词 ) | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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40
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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41
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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42
conscientiously
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| adv.凭良心地；认真地，负责尽职地；老老实实 | |
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43
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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44
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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45
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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46
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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47
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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48
invokes
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| v.援引( invoke的第三人称单数 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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49
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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50
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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51
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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52
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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53
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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54
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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55
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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56
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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57
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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58
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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59
recoils
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| n.（尤指枪炮的）反冲，后坐力( recoil的名词复数 )v.畏缩( recoil的第三人称单数 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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61
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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62
eyewitness
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| n.目击者，见证人 | |
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63
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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64
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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65
offhand
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| adj.临时，无准备的；随便，马虎的 | |
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orientation
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| n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍 | |
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