by　incredible　assumptions；　which　rendered　his　logic　impenetrable
  to　any　reasonable　person。　　I　learned　all　this　later。　　That
  morning　seeing　the　figure　in　pyjamas　moving　in　the　mist　I　said　to
  myself：　　〃That's　the　man。〃
  He　came　quite　close　to　the　ship's　side　and　raised　a　harassed
  countenance；　round　and　flat；　with　that　curl　of　black　hair　over
  the　forehead　and　a　heavy；　pained　glance。
  〃Good　morning。〃
  〃Good　morning。〃
  He　looked　hard　at　me：　　I　was　a　new　face；　having　just　replaced
  the　chief　mate　he　was　accustomed　to　see；　and　I　think　that　this
  novelty　inspired　him；　as　things　generally　did；　with　deep…seated
  mistrust。
  〃Didn't　expect　you　in　till　this　evening；〃　he　remarked
  suspiciously。
  I　don't　know　why　he　should　have　been　aggrieved；　but　he　seemed　to
  be。　　I　took　pains　to　explain　to　him　that　having　picked　up　the
  beacon　at　the　mouth　of　the　river　just　before　dark　and　the　tide
  serving；　Captain　C　was　enabled　to　cross　the　bar　and　there　was
  nothing　to　prevent　him　going　up　river　at　night。
  〃Captain　C　knows　this　river　like　his　own　pocket；〃　I　concluded
  discursively；　trying　to　get　on　terms。
  〃Better；〃　said　Almayer。
  Leaning　over　the　rail　of　the　bridge　I　looked　at　Almayer；　who
  looked　down　at　the　wharf　in　aggrieved　thought。　　He　shuffled　his
  feet　a　little；　he　wore　straw　slippers　with　thick　soles。　　The
  morning　fog　had　thickened　considerably。　　Everything　round　us
  dripped：　　the　derricks；　the　rails；　every　single　rope　in　the　ship…
  …as　if　a　fit　of　crying　had　come　upon　the　universe。
  Almayer　again　raised　his　head　and　in　the　accents　of　a　man
  accustomed　to　the　buffets　of　evil　fortune　asked　hardly　audibly：
  〃I　suppose　you　haven't　got　such　a　thing　as　a　pony　on　board？〃
  I　told　him　almost　in　a　whisper；　for　he　attuned　my　communications
  to　his　minor　key；　that　we　had　such　a　thing　as　a　pony；　and　I
  hinted；　as　gently　as　I　could；　that　he　was　confoundedly　in　the　way
  too。　　I　was　very　anxious　to　have　him　landed　before　I　began　to
  handle　the　cargo。　　Almayer　remained　looking　up　at　me　for　a　long
  while　with　incredulous　and　melancholy　eyes　as　though　it　were　not
  a　safe　thing　to　believe　my　statement。　　This　pathetic　mistrust　in
  the　favourable　issue　of　any　sort　of　affair　touched　me　deeply；　and
  I　added：
  〃He　doesn't　seem　a　bit　the　worse　for　the　passage。　　He's　a　nice
  pony　too。〃
  Almayer　was　not　to　be　cheered　up；　for　all　answer　he　cleared　his
  throat　and　looked　down　again　at　his　feet。　　I　tried　to　close　with
  him　on　another　tack。
  〃By　Jove！〃　I　said。　　〃Aren't　you　afraid　of　catching　pneumonia　or
  bronchitis　or　something；　walking　about　in　a　singlet　in　such　a　wet
  fog？〃
  He　was　not　to　be　propitiated　by　a　show　of　interest　in　his　health。
  His　answer　was　a　sinister　〃No　fear；〃　as　much　as　to　say　that　even
  that　way　of　escape　from　inclement　fortune　was　closed　to　him。
  〃I　just　came　down。　。　。〃　he　mumbled　after　a　while。
  〃Well　then；　now　you're　here　I　will　land　that　pony　for　you　at　once
  and　you　can　lead　him　home。　　I　really　don't　want　him　on　deck。
  He's　in　the　way。〃
  Almayer　seemed　doubtful。　　I　insisted：
  〃Why；　I　will　just　swing　him　out　and　land　him　on　the　wharf　right
  in　front　of　you。　　I'd　much　rather　do　it　before　the　hatches　are
  off。　　The　little　devil　may　jump　down　the　hold　or　do　some　other
  deadly　thing。〃
  〃There's　a　halter？〃　postulated　Almayer。
  〃Yes；　of　course　there's　a　halter。〃　　And　without　waiting　any　more
  I　leaned　over　the　bridge　rail。
  〃Serang；　land　Tuan　Almayer's　pony。〃
  The　cook　hastened　to　shut　the　door　of　the　galley　and　a　moment
  later　a　great　scuffle　began　on　deck。　　The　pony　kicked　with
  extreme　energy；　the　kalashes　skipped　out　of　the　way；　the　serang
  issued　many　orders　in　a　cracked　voice。　　Suddenly　the　pony　leaped
  upon　the　fore…hatch。　　His　little　hoofs　thundered　tremendously；　he
  plunged　and　reared。　　He　had　tossed　his　mane　and　his　forelock　into
  a　state　of　amazing　wildness；　he　dilated　his　nostrils；　bits　of
  foam　flecked　his　broad　little　chest；　his　eyes　blazed。　　He　was
  something　under　eleven　hands；　he　was　fierce；　terrible；　angry；
  warlike；　he　said　ha！　ha！　distinctly；　he　raged　and　thumpedand
  sixteen　able…bodied　kalashes　stood　round　him　like　disconcerted
  nurses　round　a　spoilt　and　passionate　child。　　He　whisked　his　tail
  incessantly；　he　arched　his　pretty　neck；　he　was　perfectly
  delightful；　he　was　charmingly　naughty。　　There　was　not　an　atom　of
  vice　in　that　performance；　no　savage　baring　of　teeth　and　lying
  back　of　ears。　　On　the　contrary；　he　pricked　them　forward　in　a
  comically　aggressive　manner。　　He　was　totally　unmoral　and　lovable；
  I　would　have　liked　to　give　him　bread；　sugar；　carrots。　　But　life
  is　a　stern　thing　and　the　sense　of　duty　the　only　safe　guide。　　So　I
  steeled　my　heart　and　from　my　elevated　position　on　the　bridge　I
  ordered　the　men　to　fling　themselves　upon　him　in　a　body。
  The　elderly　serang；　emitting　a　strange　inarticulate　cry；　gave　the
  example。　He　was　an　excellent　petty　officervery　competent
  indeed；　and　a　moderate　opium　smoker。　　The　rest　of　them　in　one
  great　rush　smothered　that　pony。　They　hung　on　to　his　ears；　to　his
  mane；　to　his　tail；　they　lay　in　piles　across　his　back；　seventeen
  in　all。　　The　carpenter；　seizing　the　hook　of　the　cargo…chain；
  flung　himself　on　top　of　them。　　A　very　satisfactory　petty　officer
  too；　but　he　stuttered。　　Have　you　ever　heard　a　light…yellow；　lean；
  sad；　earnest　Chinaman　stutter　in　pidgin…English？　　It's　very　weird
  indeed。　He　made　the　eighteenth。　　I　could　not　see　the　pony　at　all；
  but　from　the　swaying　and　heaving　of　that　heap　of　men　I　knew　that
  there　was　something　alive　inside。
  From　the　wharf　Almayer　hailed　in　quavering　tones：
  〃Oh；　I　say！〃
  Where　he　stood　he　could　not　see　what　was　going　on　on　deck　unless
  perhaps　the　tops　of　the　men's　heads；　he　could　only　hear　the
  scuffle；　the　mighty　thuds；　as　if　the　ship　were　being　knocked　to
  pieces。　　I　looked　over：　　〃What　is　it？〃
  〃Don't　let　them　break　his　legs；〃　he　entreated　me　plaintively。
  〃Oh；　nonsense！　　He's　all　right　now。　　He　can't　move。〃
  By　that　time　the　cargo…chain　had　been　hooked　to　the　broad　canvas
  belt　round　the　pony's　body；　the　kalashes　sprang　off
  simultaneously　in　all　directions；　rolling　over　each　other；　and
  the　worthy　serang；　making　a　dash　behind　the　winch；　turned　the
  steam　on。
  〃Steady！〃　I　yelled；　in　great　apprehension　of　seeing　the　animal
  snatched　up　to　the　very　head　of　the　derrick。
  On　the　wharf　Almayer　shuffled　his　straw　slippers　uneasily。　　The
  rattle　of　the　winch　stopped；　and　in　a　tense；　impressive　silence
  that　pony　began　to　swing　across　the　deck。
  How　limp　he　was！　　Directly　he　felt　himself　in　the　air　he　relaxed
  every　muscle　in　a　most　wonderful　manner。　　His　four　hoofs　knocked
  together　in　a　bunch；　his　head　hung　down；　and　his　tail　remained
  pendent　in　a　nerveless　and　absolute　immobility。　　He　reminded　me
  vividly　of　the　pathetic　little　sheep　which　hangs　on　the　collar　of
  the　Order　of　the　Golden　Fleece。　　I　had　no　idea　that　anything　in
  the　shape　of　a　horse　could　be　so　limp　as　that；　either　living　or
  dead。　　His　wild　mane　hung　down　lumpily；　a　mere　mass　of　inanimate
  horsehair；　his　aggressive　ears　had　collapsed；　but　as　he　went
  swaying　slowly　across　the　front　of　the　bridge　I　noticed　an　astute
  gleam　in　his　dreamy；　half…closed　eye。　　A　trustworthy
  quartermaster；　his　glance　anxious　and　his　mouth　on　the　broad
  grin；　was　easing　over　the　derrick　watchfully。　　I　superintended；
  greatly　interested。
  〃So！　　That　will　do。〃
  The　derrick…head　stopped。　　The　kalashes　lined　the　rail。　　The　rope
  of　the　halter　hung　perpendicular　and　motionless　like　a　bell…pull
  in　front　of　Almayer。　　Everything　was　very　still。　　I　suggested
  amicably　that　he　should　catch　hold　of　the　rope　and　mind　what　he
  was　about。　　He　extended　a　provokingly　casual　and　superior　hand。
  〃Look　out　then！　　Lower　away！〃
  Almayer　gathered　in　the　rope　intelligently　enough；　but　when　the
  pony's　hoofs　touched　the　wharf　he　gave　way　all　at　once　to　a　most
  foolish　optimism。　　Without　pausing；　without　thinking；　almost
  without　looking；　he　disengaged　the　hook　suddenly　from　the　sling；
  and　the　cargo…chain；　after　hitting　the　pony's　quarters；　swung
  back　against　the　ship's　side　with　a　noisy；　rattling　slap。　　I
  suppose　I　must　have　blinked。　　I　know　I　missed　something；　because
  the　next　thing　I