episodes　puts　to　shame　the　pride　of　documentary　history？
  Providence　which　saved　my　MS。　from　the　Congo　rapids　brought　it　to
  the　knowledge　of　a　helpful　soul　far　out　on　the　open　sea。　　It
  would　be　on　my　part　the　greatest　ingratitude　ever　to　forget　the
  sallow；　sunken　face　and　the　deep…set；　dark　eyes　of　the　young
  Cambridge　man　（he　was　a　〃passenger　for　his　health〃　on　board　the
  good　ship　Torrens　outward　bound　to　Australia）　who　was　the　first
  reader　of　〃Almayer's　Folly〃the　very　first　reader　I　ever　had。
  〃Would　it　bore　you　very　much　reading　a　MS。　in　a　handwriting　like
  mine？〃　I　asked　him　one　evening　on　a　sudden　impulse　at　the　end　of
  a　longish　conversation　whose　subject　was　Gibbon's　History。
  Jacques　（that　was　his　name）　was　sitting　in　my　cabin　one　stormy
  dog…watch　below；　after　bringing　me　a　book　to　read　from　his　own
  travelling　store。
  〃Not　at　all；〃　he　answered　with　his　courteous　intonation　and　a
  faint　smile。　　As　I　pulled　a　drawer　open　his　suddenly　aroused
  curiosity　gave　him　a　watchful　expression。　　I　wonder　what　he
  expected　to　see。　　A　poem；　maybe。　　All　that's　beyond　guessing　now。
  He　was　not　a　cold　but　a　calm　man；　still　more　subdued　by　disease
  a　man　of　few　words　and　of　an　unassuming　modesty　in　general
  intercourse；　but　with　something　uncommon　in　the　whole　of　his
  person　which　set　him　apart　from　the　undistinguished　lot　of　our
  sixty　passengers。　　His　eyes　had　a　thoughtful　introspective　look。
  In　his　attractive　reserved　manner；　and　in　a　veiled　sympathetic
  voice　he　asked：
  〃What　is　this？〃　　〃It　is　a　sort　of　tale；〃　I　answered　with　an
  effort。　　〃It　is　not　even　finished　yet。　　Nevertheless　I　would　like
  to　know　what　you　think　of　it。〃　　He　put　the　MS。　in　the　breast…
  pocket　of　his　jacket；　I　remember　perfectly　his　thin　brown　fingers
  folding　it　lengthwise。　　〃I　will　read　it　tomorrow；〃　he　remarked；
  seizing　the　door…handle；　and　then；　watching　the　roll　of　the　ship
  for　a　propitious　moment；　he　opened　the　door　and　was　gone。　　In　the
  moment　of　his　exit　I　heard　the　sustained　booming　of　the　wind；　the
  swish　of　the　water　on　the　decks　of　the　Torrens；　and　the　subdued；
  as　if　distant；　roar　of　the　rising　sea。　　I　noted　the　growing
  disquiet　in　the　great　restlessness　of　the　ocean；　and　responded
  professionally　to　it　with　the　thought　that　at　eight　o'clock；　in
  another　half…hour　or　so　at　the　furthest；　the　top…gallant　sails
  would　have　to　come　off　the　ship。
  Next　day；　but　this　time　in　the　first　dog…watch；　Jacques　entered
  my　cabin。　　He　had　a　thick；　woollen　muffler　round　his　throat　and
  the　MS。　was　in　his　hand。　　He　tendered　it　to　me　with　a　steady　look
  but　without　a　word。　　I　took　it　in　silence。　　He　sat　down　on　the
  couch　and　still　said　nothing。　　I　opened　and　shut　a　drawer　under
  my　desk；　on　which　a　filled…up　log…slate　lay　wide　open　in　its
  wooden　frame　waiting　to　be　copied　neatly　into　the　sort　of　book　I
  was　accustomed　to　write　with　care；　the　ship's　log…book。　　I　turned
  my　back　squarely　on　the　desk。　　And　even　then　Jacques　never
  offered　a　word。　　〃Well；　what　do　you　say？〃　I　asked　at　last。　　〃Is
  it　worth　finishing？〃　　This　question　expressed　exactly　the　whole
  of　my　thoughts。
  〃Distinctly；〃　he　answered　in　his　sedate；　veiled　voice　and　then
  coughed　a　little。
  〃Were　you　interested？〃　I　inquired　further　almost　in　a　whisper。
  〃Very　much！〃
  In　a　pause　I　went　on　meeting　instinctively　the　heavy　rolling　of
  the　ship；　and　Jacques　put　his　feet　upon　the　couch。　　The　curtain
  of　my　bed…place　swung　to　and　fro　as　it　were　a　punkah；　the
  bulkhead　lamp　circled　in　its　gimbals；　and　now　and　then　the　cabin
  door　rattled　slightly　in　the　gusts　of　wind。　　It　was　in　latitude
  40　south；　and　nearly　in　the　longitude　of　Greenwich；　as　far　as　I
  can　remember；　that　these　quiet　rites　of　Almayer's　and　Nina's
  resurrection　were　taking　place。　　In　the　prolonged　silence　it
  occurred　to　me　that　there　was　a　good　deal　of　retrospective
  writing　in　the　story　as　far　as　it　went。　　Was　it　intelligible　in
  its　action；　I　asked　myself；　as　if　already　the　story…teller　were
  being　born　into　the　body　of　a　seaman。　　But　I　heard　on　deck　the
  whistle　of　the　officer　of　the　watch　and　remained　on　the　alert　to
  catch　the　order　that　was　to　follow　this　call　to　attention。　　It
  reached　me　as　a　faint；　fierce　shout　to　〃Square　the　yards。〃
  〃Aha！〃　I　thought　to　myself；　〃a　westerly　blow　coming　on。〃　　Then　I
  turned　to　my　very　first　reader　who；　alas！　was　not　to　live　long
  enough　to　know　the　end　of　the　tale。
  〃Now　let　me　ask　you　one　more　thing：　　is　the　story　quite　clear　to
  you　as　it　stands？〃
  He　raised　his　dark；　gentle　eyes　to　my　face　and　seemed　surprised。
  〃Yes！　　Perfectly。〃
  This　was　all　I　was　to　hear　from　his　lips　concerning　the　merits　of
  〃Almayer's　Folly。〃　　We　never　spoke　together　of　the　book　again。　　A
  long　period　of　bad　weather　set　in　and　I　had　no　thoughts　left　but
  for　my　duties；　whilst　poor　Jacques　caught　a　fatal　cold　and　had　to
  keep　close　in　his　cabin。　　When　we　arrived　in　Adelaide　the　first
  reader　of　my　prose　went　at　once　up…country；　and　died　rather
  suddenly　in　the　end；　either　in　Australia　or　it　may　be　on　the
  passage　while　going　home　through　the　Suez　Canal。　　I　am　not　sure
  which　it　was　now；　and　I　do　not　think　I　ever　heard　precisely；
  though　I　made　inquiries　about　him　from　some　of　our　return
  passengers　who；　wandering　about　to　〃see　the　country〃　during　the
  ship's　stay　in　port；　had　come　upon　him　here　and　there。　　At　last
  we　sailed；　homeward　bound；　and　still　not　one　line　was　added　to
  the　careless　scrawl　of　the　many　pages　which　poor　Jacques　had　had
  the　patience　to　read　with　the　very　shadows　of　Eternity　gathering
  already　in　the　hollows　of　his　kind；　steadfast　eyes。
  The　purpose　instilled　into　me　by　his　simple　and　final
  〃Distinctly〃　remained　dormant；　yet　alive　to　await　its
  opportunity。　　I　dare　say　I　am　compelled；　unconsciously　compelled；
  now　to　write　volume　after　volume；　as　in　past　years　I　was
  compelled　to　go　to　sea　voyage　after　voyage。　　Leaves　must　follow
  upon　each　other　as　leagues　used　to　follow　in　the　days　gone　by；　on
  and　on　to　the　appointed　end；　which；　being　Truth　itself；　is　One
  one　for　all　men　and　for　all　occupations。
  I　do　not　know　which　of　the　two　impulses　has　appeared　more
  mysterious　and　more　wonderful　to　me。　　Still；　in　writing；　as　in
  going　to　sea；　I　had　to　wait　my　opportunity。　　Let　me　confess　here
  that　I　was　never　one　of　those　wonderful　fellows　that　would　go
  afloat　in　a　wash…tub　for　the　sake　of　the　fun；　and　if　I　may　pride
  myself　upon　my　consistency；　it　was　ever　just　the　same　with　my
  writing。　　Some　men；　I　have　heard；　write　in　railway　carriages；　and
  could　do　it；　perhaps；　sitting　cross…legged　on　a　clothes…line；　but
  I　must　confess　that　my　sybaritic　disposition　will　not　consent　to
  write　without　something　at　least　resembling　a　chair。　　Line　by
  line；　rather　than　page　by　page；　was　the　growth　of　〃Almayer's
  Folly。〃
  And　so　it　happened　that　I　very　nearly　lost　the　MS。；　advanced　now
  to　the　first　words　of　the　ninth　chapter；　in　the　Friedrichstrasse
  railway　station　（that's　in　Berlin；　you　know）；　on　my　way　to
  Poland；　or　more　precisely　to　Ukraine。　　On　an　early；　sleepy
  morning　changing　trains　in　a　hurry　I　left　my　Gladstone　bag　in　a
  refreshment…room。　　A　worthy　and　intelligent　Koffertrager　rescued
  it。　　Yet　in　my　anxiety　I　was　not　thinking　of　the　MS。　but　of　all
  the　other　things　that　were　packed　in　the　bag。
  In　Warsaw；　where　I　spent　two　days；　those　wandering　pages　were
  never　exposed　to　the　light；　except　once；　to　candle…light；　while
  the　bag　lay　open　on　a　chair。　　I　was　dressing　hurriedly　to　dine　at
  a　sporting　club。　　A　friend　of　my　childhood　（he　had　been　in　the
  Diplomatic　Service；　but　had　turned　to　growing　wheat　on　paternal
  acres；　and　we　had　not　seen　each　other　for　over　twenty　years）　was
  sitting　on　the　hotel　sofa　waiting　to　carry　me　off　there。
  〃You　might　tell　me　something　of　your　life　while　you　are
  dressing；〃　he　suggested　kindly。
  I　do　not　think　I　told　him　much　of　my　life…story　either　then　or
  later。　　The　talk　of　the　select　little　party　with　which　he　made　me
  dine　was　extremely　animated　and　embraced　most　subjects　under
  heaven；　from　big…game　shooting　in　Africa　to　the　last　poem
  published　in　a　very　modernist　review；　edited　by　the　very　young
  and　patronised　by　the　highest　society。　　But　it　never　touched　upon
  〃Almayer's　Folly；〃　and　next　morning；　in　uninterrupted　obscurity；
  this　inseparable　companion　went　on　rolling　with　me　in　the　south…
  east　direction　towards　the　Governmen