AdayorsoafterwehadgottoworkuponthequapIfoundmyselfsosleeplessandmiserablethattheshipbecameunendurable。
　　JustbeforetherushofsunriseIborrowedPollack’sgun，walkeddowntheplanks，clamberedoverthequapheapsandprowledalongthebeach。Iwentperhapsamileandahalfthatdayandsomedistancebeyondtheruinsoftheoldstation。Ibecameinterestedinthedesolationaboutme，andfoundwhenIreturnedthatIwasabletosleepfornearlyanhour。Itwasdelightfultohavebeenaloneforsolong，——nocaptain，noPollack，noone。
　　AccordinglyIrepeatedthisexpeditionthenextmorningandthenextuntilitbecameacustomwithme。Therewaslittleformetodooncethediggingandwheelingwasorganised，andsotheseprowlingsofminegrewlongerandlonger，andpresentlyIbegantotakefoodwithme。
　　Ipushedthesewalksfarbeyondtheareadesolatedbythequap。
　　Ontheedgesofthatwasfirstazoneofstuntedvegetation，thenasortofswampyjunglethatwasdifficulttopenetrate，andthenthebeginningsoftheforest，asceneofhugetreestemsandtangledcreeperropesandrootsmingledwithoozymud。HereI
　　usedtoloafinastatebetweenbotanisingandreverie——alwaysveryanxioustoknowwhatwasupaboveinthesunlight——andhereitwasImurderedaman。
　　Itwasthemostunmeaningandpurposelessmurderimaginable。
　　EvenasIwritedownitswell-rememberedparticularstherecomesagainthesenseofitsstrangeness，itspointlessness，itsincompatibilitywithanyoftheneatanddefinitetheoriespeopleholdaboutlifeandthemeaningoftheworld。IdidthisthingandIwanttotellofmydoingit，butwhyIdiditandparticularlywhyIshouldbeheldresponsibleforitIcannotexplain。
　　ThatmorningIhadcomeuponatrackintheforest，andithadoccurredtomeasadisagreeableideathatthiswasahumanpathway。Ididn’twanttocomeuponanyhumanbeings。ThelessourexpeditionsawoftheAfricanpopulationthebetterforitsprospects。Thusfarwehadbeensingularlyfreefromnativepestering。SoIturnedbackandwasmakingmywayovermudandrootsanddeadfrondsandpetalsscatteredfromthegreenworldabovewhenabruptlyIsawmyvictim。
　　Ibecameawareofhimperhapsfortyfeetoffstandingquitestillandregardingme。
　　Hewasn’tbyanymeansaprettyfigure。Hewasveryblackandnakedexceptforadirtyloin-cloth，hislegswereill-shapedandhistoesspreadwideandtheupperedgeofhisclothandagirdleofstringcuthisclumsyabdomenintofolds。Hisforeheadwaslow，hisnoseveryflatandhislowerlipswollenandpurplish-red。Hishairwasshortandfuzzy，andabouthisneckwasastringandalittlepurseofskin。Hecarriedamusket，andapowder-flaskwasstuckinhisgirdle。Itwasacuriousconfrontation。ThereopposedtohimstoodI，alittlesoiled，perhaps，butstillaratherelaboratelycivilisedhumanbeing，born，bredandtrainedinavaguetradition。Inmyhandwasanunaccustomedgun。Andeachofuswasessentiallyateeming，vividbrain，tenselyexcitedbytheencounter，quiteunawareoftheother’smentalcontentorwhattodowithhim。
　　Hesteppedbackapaceorso，stumbledandturnedtorun。
　　“Stop。”Icried；“stop，youfool！”andstartedtorunafterhim，shoutingsuchthingsinEnglish。ButIwasnomatchforhimovertherootsandmud。
　　Ihadapreposterousidea。“Hemustn’tgetawayandtellthem！”
　　AndwiththatinstantlyIbroughtbothfeettogether，raisedmygun，aimedquitecoolly，drewthetriggercarefullyandshothimneatlyintheback。
　　Isaw，andsawwithaleapofpureexaltation，thesmashofmybulletbetweenhisshoulderblades。“Gothim。”saidI，droppingmygunanddownhefloppedanddiedwithoutagroan。“ByJove！”
　　Icriedwithnoteofsurprise，“I’vekilledhim！”Ilookedaboutmeandthenwentforwardcautiously，inamoodbetweencuriosityandastonishment，tolookatthismanwhosesoulIhadflungsounceremoniouslyoutofourcommonworld。Iwenttohim，notasonegoestosomethingonehasmadeordone，butasoneapproachessomethingfound。
　　Hewasfrightfullysmashedoutinfront；hemusthavediedintheinstant。Istoopedandraisedhimbyhisshoulderandrealisedthat。Idroppedhim，andstoodaboutandpeeredaboutmethroughthetrees。“Myword！”Isaid。Hewastheseconddeadhumanbeing——apart，Imean，fromsurgicalpropertiesandmummiesandcommonshowsofthatsort——thatIhaveeverseen。Istoodoverhimwondering，wonderingbeyondmeasure。
　　Apracticalideacameintothatconfusion。Hadanyoneheardthegun？
　　Ireloaded。
　　AfteratimeIfeltsecurer，andgavemymindagaintothedeadI
　　hadkilled。WhatmustIdo？
　　ItoccurredtomethatperhapsIoughttoburyhim。Atanyrate，Ioughttohidehim。Ireflectedcoolly，andthenputmygunwithineasyreachanddraggedhimbythearmtowardsaplacewherethemudseemedsoft，andthrusthimin。Hispowder-flaskslippedfromhisloin-cloth，andIwentbacktogetit。ThenI
　　pressedhimdownwiththebuttofmyrifle。
　　Afterwardsthisallseemedtomemosthorrible，butatthetimeitwasentirelyamatter-of-facttransaction。Ilookedroundforanyothervisibleevidenceofhisfate，lookedroundasonedoeswhenonepacksone’sportmanteauinanhotelbedroom。
　　WhenIgotmybearings，andcarefullyreturnedtowardstheship。
　　Ihadthemoodofgraveconcentrationofaboywhohaslapsedintopoaching。AndthebusinessonlybegantoassumeproperproportionsformeasIgotneartheship，toseemanyotherkindofthingthanthekillingofabirdorrabbit。
　　Inthenight，however，ittookonenormousandportentousforms。“ByGod！”Icriedsuddenly，startingwideawake；“butitwasmurder！”
　　Ilayafterthatwideawake，staringatmymemories。Insomeoddwaythesevisionsmixedupwithmydreamofinmyuncleinhisdespair。Theblackbodywhichsawnowdamagedandpartlyburied，butwhich，nevertheless，Inolongerfeltwasdeadbutacutelyaliveandperceiving，Imixedupwiththeochreousslashundermyuncle’sface。Itriedtodismissthishorribleobsessionfrommymind，butitprevailedoverallmyefforts。
　　Thenextdaywasutterlyblackwithmysenseofthatuglycreature’sbody。Iamtheleastsuperstitiousofmen，butitdrewme。ItdrewmebackintothosethicketstotheveryplacewhereIhadhiddenhim。
　　Someevilanddetestablebeasthadbeenathim，andhelaydisinterred。
　　MethodicallyIburiedhisswollenandmangledcarcassagain，andreturnedtotheshipforanothernightofdreams。NextdayforallthemorningIresistedtheimpulsetogotohim，andplayednapwithPollackwithmysecretgnawingatme，andintheeveningstartedtogoandwasnearbenighted。InevertoldasoulofthemofthisthingIhaddone。
　　NextdayIwentearly，andhehadgone，andtherewerehumanfootmarksanduglystainsroundthemuddyholefromwhichhehadbeendragged。
　　Ireturnedtotheship，disconcertedandperplexed。Thatdayitwasthemencameaft，withblisteredhandsandfaces，andsulleneyes。Whentheyproclaimed，throughEdwards，theirspokesman，“We’vehadenoughofthis，andwemeanit。”Iansweredveryreadily，“SohaveI。Let’sgo。”
　　Wewerenonetoosoon。Peoplehadbeenreconnoitringus，thetelegraphhadbeenatwork，andwewerenotfourhoursatseabeforeweranagainstthegunboatthathadbeensentdownthecoasttolookforusandthatwouldhavecaughtusbehindtheislandlikeabeastinatrap。Itwasanightofdrivingcloudthatgaveintermittentgleamsofmoonlight；（丁香书院小说）thewindandseawerestrongandwewererollingalongthroughadriftofrailsandmist。Suddenlytheworldwaswhitewithmoonshine。Thegunboatcameoutasalongdarkshapewallowingonthewatertotheeast。
　　ShesightedtheMaudMaryatonce，andfiredsomesortofpopguntoarrestus。
　　Themateturnedtome。
　　“ShallItellthecaptain？”
　　“Thecaptainbedamned“saidI，andwelethimsleepthroughtwohoursofchasetillarainstormswallowedusup。Thenwechangedourcourseandsailedrightacrossthem，andbymorningonlyhersmokewasshowing。
　　WewereclearofAfrica——andwiththebootyaboardIdidnotseewhatstoodbetweenusandhome。
　　ForthefirsttimesinceIhadfallensickintheThamesmyspiritsrose。Iwassea-sickandphysicallydisgusted，ofcourse，butIfeltkindlyinspiteofmyqualms。SofarasI
　　couldcalculatethenthesituationwassaved。IsawmyselfreturningtriumphantlyintotheThames，andnothingonearthtopreventoldCapern’sPerfectFilamentgoingonthemarketinfortnight。Ihadthemonopolyofelectriclampsbeneathmyfeet。
　　Iwasreleasedfromthespellofthatbloodstainedblackbodyallmixedupwithgrey-blackmud。IwasgoingbacktobathsanddecentfoodandaeronauticsandBeatrice。IwasgoingbacktoBeatriceandmyreallifeagain——outofthiswellintowhichI
　　hadfallen。Itwouldhaveneededsomethingmorethansea-sicknessandquapfevertopreventmyspiritsrising。
　　ItoldthecaptainthatIagreedwithhimthattheBritishwerethescumofEurope，thewestwarddriftofallthepeople，adisgustingrabble，andIlostthreepoundsbyattenuatedretailtoPollackatha’pennynapandeuchre。
　　Andthenyouknow，aswegotoutintotheAtlanticthissideofCapeVerde，theshipbegantogotopieces。Idon’tpretendforonemomenttounderstandwhathappened。ButIthinkGreiffenhagen’srecentworkontheeffectsofradiumuponligneoustissuedoesrathercarryoutmyideathatemanationsfromquaphaverapidrottingeffectuponwoodyfibre。
　　Fromthefirsttherehadbeenadifferentfeelabouttheship，andasthebigwindsandwavesbegantostrainhershecommencedleaking。Soonshewasleaking——notatanyparticularpoint，buteverywhere。Shedidnotspringaleak，Imean，butwatercameinfirstofallnearthedecayingedgesofherplanks，andthenthroughthem。