“`Butterfly？“heasked，withanunbelievingandhumorouseagerness。
　　“`Nothingsoperfect，“Ianswered，feelingsuddenlydispiritedwithallsortsofdoubts。“Aman!“
　　“`Achso!“hemurmured，andhissmilingcountenance，turnedtome，becamegrave。Thenafterlookingatmeforawhilehesaidslowly，“Well——Iamaman，too。“
　　`Hereyouhavehimashewas；heknewhowtobesogenerouslyencouragingastomakeascrupulousmanhesitateonthebrinkofconfidence；butifIdidhesitateitwasnotforlong。
　　`Heheardmeout，sittingwithcrossedlegs。Sometimeshisheadwoulddisappearcompletelyinagreateruptionofsmoke，andasympatheticgrowlwouldcomeoutfromthecloud。WhenIfinishedheuncrossedhislegs，laiddownhispipe，leanedforwardtowardsmeearnestlywithhiselbowsonthearmsofhischair，thetipsofhisfingerstogether。
　　“`Iunderstandverywell。Heisromantic。“
　　`Hehaddiagnosedthecaseforme，andatfirstIwasquitestartledtofindhowsimpleitwas；andindeedourconferenceresembledsomuchamedicalconsultation——Stein，oflearnedaspect，sittinginanarm-chairbeforehisdesk；I，anxious，inanother，facinghim，butalittletooneside——thatitseemednaturaltoask：
　　“`What’sgoodforit？“
　　`Heliftedupalongforefinger。
　　“`Thereisonlyoneremedy!Onethingalonecanusfrombeingourselvescure!“Thefingercamedownonthedeskwithasmartrap。Thecasewhichhehadmadetolooksosimplebeforebecameifpossiblestillsimpler——andaltogetherhopeless。Therewasapause。“Yes，“saidI，“strictlyspeaking，thequestionisnothowtogetcured，buthowtolive。’
　　`Heapprovedwithhishead，alittlesadlyasitseemed。“Ja!ja!Ingeneral，adaptingthewordsofyourgreatpoet：Thatisthequestion……“Hewentonnoddingsympathetically……“Howtobe!Ach!Howtobe!“
　　`Hestoodupwiththetipsofhisfingersrestingonthedesk。“`Wewantinsomanydifferentwaystobe，“hebeganagain。“Thismagnificentbutterflyfindsalittleheapofdirtandsitsstillonit；butmanhewillneveronhisheapofmudkeepstill。Hewanttobeso，andagainhewanttobeso……“Hemovedhishandup，thendown……“Hewantstobeasaint，andhewantstobeadevil——andeverytimeheshutshiseyesheseeshimselfasaveryfinefellow——sofineashecanneverbe……Inadream……“
　　`Heloweredtheglasslid，theautomaticlockclickedsharply，andtakingupthecaseinbothhandsheboreitreligiouslyawaytoitsplace，passingoutofthebrightcircleofthelampintotheringoffainterlight——intoshapelessduskatlast。Ithadanoddeffect——asifthesefewstepshadcarriedhimoutofthisconcreteandperplexedworld。Histallform，asthoughrobbedofitssubstance，hoverednoiselesslyoverinvisiblethingswithstoopingandindefinitemovements；hisvoice，heardinthatremotenesswherehecouldbeglimpsedmysteriouslybusywithimmaterialcares，wasnolongerincisive，seemedtorollvoluminousandgrave——mellowedbydistance。
　　“`Andbecauseyounotalwayscankeepyoureyesshuttherecomestherealtrouble——theheartpain——theworldpain。Itellyou，myfriend，itisnotgoodforyoutofindyoucannotmakeyourdreamcometrue，forthereasonthatyounotstrongenoughare，ornotcleverenough。Ja!……Andallthetimeyouaresuchafinefellow，too!Wie？Was？GottinHimmel!Howcanthatbe？Ha!ha!ha!“
　　`Theshadowprowlingamongstthegravesofbutterflieslaughedboisterously。
　　“`Yes!Veryfunnythisterriblethingis。Amanthatisbornfallsintoadreamlikeamanwhofallsintothesea。Ifhetriestoclimboutintotheairasinexperiencedpeopleendeavourtodo，hedrowns——nichtwahr？……No!Itellyou!Thewayistothedestructiveelementsubmityourself，andwiththeexertionsofyourhandsandfeetinthewatermakethedeep，deepseakeepyouup。Soifyouaskme——howtobe？“
　　`Hisvoiceleapedupextraordinarilystrong，asthoughawaythereintheduskhehadbeeninspiredbysomewhisperofknowledge。“Iwilltellyou!Forthat，too，thereisonlyoneway。“
　　`Withahastyswish-swishofhisslippersheloomedupintheringoffaintlight，andsuddenlyappearedinthebrightcircleofthelamp。Hisextendedhandaimedatmybreastlikeapistol；hisdeep-seteyesseemedtopiercethroughme，buthistwitchinglipsutterednoword，andtheaustereexaltationofacertitudeseenintheduskvanishedfromhisface。Thehandthathadbeenpointingatmybreastfell，andbyandby，comingastepnearer，helaiditgentlyonmyshoulder。Therewerethings，hesaidmournfully，thatperhapscouldneverbetold，onlyhehadlivedsomuchalonethatsometimesheforgot——heforgot。Thelighthaddestroyedtheassurancewhichhadinspiredhiminthedistantshadows。Hesatdownand，withbothelbowsonthedesk，rubbedhisforehead。“Andyetitistrue——itistrue。Inthedestructiveelementimmerse。“……Hespokeinasubduedtone，withoutlookingatme，onehandoneachsideofhisface。“Thatwastheway。Tofollowthedream，andagaintofollowthedream——andso——ewig——usqueadfinem……“Thewhisperofhisconvictionseemedtoopenbeforemeavastanduncertainexpanse，asofacrepuscularhorizononaplainatdawn——orwasit，perchance，atthecomingofthenight？Onehadnotthecouragetodecide；butitwasacharminganddeceptivelight，throwingtheimpalpablepoesyofitsdimnessoverpitfalls——overgraves。Hislifehadbeguninsacrifice，inenthusiasmforgenerousideas；hehadtravelledveryfar，onvariousways，onstrangepaths，andwhateverhefollowedithadbeenwithoutfaltering，andthereforewithoutshameandwithoutregret。
　　Insofarhewasright。Thatwastheway，nodoubt。Yetforallthatthegreatplainonwhichmenwanderamongstgravesandpitfallsremainedverydesolateundertheimpalpablepoesyofitscrepuscularlight，over-shadowedinthecentre，circledwithabrightedgeasifsurroundedbyanabyssfullofflames。WhenatlastIbrokethesilenceitwastoexpresstheopinionthatnoonecouldbemoreromanticthanhimself。
　　`Heshookhisheadslowly，andafterwardslookedatmewithapatientandinquiringglance。Itwasashame，hesaid。Thereweweresittingandtalkingliketwoboys，insteadofputtingourheadstogethertofindsomethingpractical——apracticalremedy——fortheevil——forthegreatevil——herepeated，withahumorousandindulgentsmile。Forallthat，ourtalkdidnotgrowmorepractical。WeavoidedpronouncingJim’snameasthoughwehadtriedtokeepfleshandbloodoutofourdiscussion，orhewerenothingbutanerringspirit，asufferingandnamelessshade。“Na!“saidStein，rising。“To-nightyousleephere，andinthemorningweshalldosomethingpractical——practical……“Helitatwo-branchedcandlestickandledtheway。Wepassedthroughemptydarkrooms，escortedbygleamsfromthelightsSteincarried。Theyglidedalongthewaxedfloors，sweepinghereandthereoverthepolishedsurfaceofthetable，leapeduponafragmentarycurveofapieceoffurniture，orflashedperpendicularlyinandoutofdistantmirrors，whiletheformsoftwomenandtheflickeroftwoflamescouldbeseenforamomentstealingsilentlyacrossthedepthsofacrystallinevoid。Hewalkedslowlyapaceinadvancewithstoopingcourtesy，therewasaprofound，asitwerealistening，quietudeonhisface；thelongflaxenlocksmixedwithwhitethreadswerescatteredthinlyuponhisslightlybowedneck。
　　“`Heisromantic——romantic，“herepeated。“Andthatisverybad——verybad……Verygood，too，“headded。“Butishe？“Iqueried。
　　“`Gewiss，“hesaid，andstoodstillholdingupthecandelabrum，butwithoutlookingatme。“Evident!Whatisitthatbyinwardpainmakeshimknowhimself？Whatisitthatforyouandmemakeshim——exist？“
　　`AtthatmomentitwasdifficulttobelieveinJim’sexistence——startingfromacountryparsonage，blurredbycrowdsofmenasbycloudsofdust，silencedbytheclashingclaimsoflifeanddeathinamaterialworld——buthisimperishablerealitycametomewithaconvincing，withanirresistibleforce!Isawitvividly，asthoughinourprogressthroughtheloftysilentroomsamongstfleetinggleamsoflightandthesuddenrevelationsofhumanfiguresstealingwithflickeringflameswithinunfathomableandpelluciddepths，wehadapproachednearertoabsoluteTruth，which，likeBeautyitself，floatselusive，obscure，halfsubmerged，inthesilentstillwatersofmystery。“Perhapsheis，“Iadmittedwithaslightlaugh，whoseunexpectedlyloudreverberationmademelowermyvoicedirectly；“butIamsureyouare。“Withhisheaddroppingonhisbreastandthelightheldhighhebegantowalkagain。“Well——Iexist，too，“hesaid。
　　`Heprecededme。Myeyesfollowedhismovements，butwhatIdidseewasnottheheadofthefirm，thewelcomeguestatafternoonreceptions，thecorrespondentoflearnedsocieties，theentertainerofstraynaturalists；
　　Isawonlytherealityofhisdestiny，whichhehadknownhowtofollowwithunfalteringfootsteps，thatlifebeguninhumblesurroundings，richingenerousenthusiasms，infriendship，love，war——inalltheexaltedelementsofromance。Atthedoorofmyroomhefacedme。“Yes，“Isaid，asthoughcarryingonadiscussion，“andamongstotherthingsyoudreamedfoolishlyofacertainbutterfly；butwhenonefinemorningyourdreamcameinyourwayyoudidnotletthesplendidopportunityescape。Didyou？Whereashe……“Steinliftedhishand。“AnddoyouknowhowmanyopportunitiesI
　　letescape；howmanydreamsIhadlostthathadcomeinmyway？“Heshookhisheadregretfully。“Itseemstomethatsomewouldhavebeenveryfine——ifIhadmadethemcometrue。Doyouknowhowmany？PerhapsImyselfdon’tknow。““Whetherhiswerefineornot，“Isaid，“heknowsofonewhichhecertainlydidnotcatch。““Everybodyknowsofoneortwolikethat，“saidStein；“andthatisthetrouble——thegreattrouble……“
　　`Heshookhandsonthethreshold，peeredintomyroomunderhisraisedarm。“Sleepwell。Andto-morrowwemustdosomethingpractical——practical……“
　　`ThoughhisownroomwasbeyondmineIsawhimreturnthewayhecame。
　　Hewasgoingbacktohisbutterflies。’
　　supposeanyofyouhadeverheardofPatusan？’
　　Marlowresumed，afterasilenceoccupiedinthecarefullightingofacigar。
　　`Itdoesnotmatter；there’smanyaheavenlybodyinthelotcrowdinguponusofanightthatmankindhadneverheardof，itbeingoutsidethesphereofitsactivitiesandofnoearthlyimportancetoanybodybuttotheastronomerswhoarepaidtotalklearnedlyaboutitscomposition，weight，path——theirregularitiesofitsconduct，theaberrationsofitslight——asortofscientificscandal-mongering。ThuswithPatusan。ItwasreferredtoknowinglyintheinnergovernmentcirclesinBatavia，especiallyastoitsirregularitiesandaberrations，anditwasknownbynametosomefew，veryfew，inthemercantileworld。Nobody，however，hadbeenthere，andIsuspectnoonedesiredtogothereinperson，justasanastronomer，Ishouldfancy，wouldstronglyobjecttobeingtransportedintoadistantheavenlybody，where，partedfromhisearthlyemoluments，hewouldbebewilderedbytheviewofanunfamiliarheavens。However，neitherheavenlybodiesnorastronomershaveanythingtodowithPatusan。ItwasJimwhowentthere。IonlymeantyoutounderstandthathadSteinarrangedtosendhimintoastarofthefifthmagnitudethechangecouldnothavebeengreater。Helefthisearthlyfailingsbehindhimandthatsortofreputationhehad，andtherewasatotallynewsetofconditionsforhisimaginativefacultytoworkupon。
　　Entirelynew，entirelyremarkable。Andhegotholdoftheminaremarkableway。
　　`SteinwasthemanwhoknewmoreaboutPatusanthananybodyelse。Morethanwasknowninthegovernmentcircles，Isuspect。Ihavenodoubthehadbeenthere，eitherinhisbutterfly-huntingdaysorlateron，whenhetriedinhisin-corrigiblewaytoseasonwithapinchofromancethefatteningdishesofhiscommercialkitchen。TherewereveryfewplacesintheArchipelagohehadnotseenintheoriginalduskoftheirbeing，beforelightandevenelectriclighthadbeencarriedintothemforthesakeofbettermoralityand——and——well——thegreaterprofit，too。ItwasatbreakfastofthemorningfollowingourtalkaboutJimthathementionedtheplace，afterIhadquotedpoorBrierly’sremark：“Lethimcreeptwentyfeetundergroundandstaythere。“Helookedupatmewithinterestedattention，asthoughIhadbeenarareinsect。“Thiscouldbedone，too，“heremarked，sippinghiscoffee。“Buryhiminsomesort，“Iexplained。“Onedoesn’tliketodoitofcourse，butitwouldbethebestthing，seeingwhatheis。““Yes；heisyoung，“Steinmused。“Theyoungesthumanbeingnowinexistence，“Iaffirmed。“Schon。There’sPatusan，“hewentoninthesametone……“Andthewomanisdeadnow，“headdedincomprehensibly。
　　`OfcourseIdon’tknowthatstory；IcanonlyguessthatoncebeforePatusanhadbeenusedasagraveforsomesin，transgression，ormisfortune。
　　ItisimpossibletosuspectStein。TheonlywomanthathadeverexistedforhimwastheMalaygirlhecalled“mywifetheprincess，“or，morerarelyinmomentsofexpansion，“themotherofmyEmma。“WhowasthewomanhehadmentionedinconnectionwithPatusanIcan’tsay；butfromhisallusionsIunderstandshehadbeenaneducatedandverygood-lookingDutch-Malaygirl，withatragicorperhapsonlyapitifulhistory，whosemostpainfulpartnodoubtwashermarriagewithaMalaccaPortuguesewhohadbeenclerkinsomecommercialhouseintheDutchcolonies。IgatheredfromSteinthatthismanwasanunsatisfactorypersoninmorewaysthanone，allbeingmoreorlessindefiniteandoffensive。Itwassolelyforhiswife’ssakethatSteinhadappointedhimmanagerofStein&；Co。’stradingpostinPatusan；butcommerciallythearrangementwasnotasuccess，atanyrateforthefirm，andnowthewomanhaddied，Steinwasdisposedtotryanotheragentthere。ThePortuguese，whosenamewasCornelius，consideredhimselfaverydeservingbutill-usedperson，entitledbyhisabilitiestoabetterposition。ThismanJimwouldhavetorelieve。“ButIdon’tthinkhewillgoawayfromtheplace，“remarkedStein。“Thathasnothingtodowithme。ItwasonlyforthesakeofthewomanthatI……ButasIthinkthereisadaughterleft，Ishalllethim，ifhelikestostay，keeptheoldhouse。“
　　`Patusanisaremotedistrictofanative-ruledstate，andthechiefsettlementbearsthesamename。Atapointontheriveraboutfortymilesfromthesea，wherethefirsthousescomeintoview，therecanbeseenrisingabovetheleveloftheforeststhesummitsoftwosteephillsveryclosetogether，andseparatedbywhatlookslikeadeepfissure，thecleavageofsomemightystroke。Asamatteroffact，thevalleybetweenisnothingbutanarrowravine；theappearancefromthesettlementisofoneirregularlyconicalhillsplitintwo，andwiththetwohalvesleaningslightlyapart。
　　Onthethirddayafterthefull，themoon，asseenfromtheopenspaceinfrontofJim’shousehehadaveryfinehouseinthenativestylewhenIvisitedhim，roseexactlybehindthesehills，itsdiffusedlightatfirstthrowingthetwomassesintointenselyblackrelief，andthenthenearlyperfectdisk，glowingruddily，appeared，glidingupwardsbetweenthesidesofthechasm，tillitfloatedawayabovethesummits，asifescapingfromayawninggraveingentletriumph。“Wonderfuleffect，“saidJimbymyside。“Worthseeing。Isitnot？“