Whowouldrememberhim？Hehadwhathewanted。Hisveryexistenceprobablyhadbeenforgottenbythistime。Theyhadmasteredtheirfates。Theyweretragic。
　　`Herimmobilitybeforemewasclearlyexpectant，andmypartwastospeakformybrotherfromtherealmofforgetfulshades。Iwasdeeplymovedatmyresponsibilityandatherdistress。Iwouldhavegivenanythingforthepowertosootheherfrailsoul，tormentingitselfinitsinvincibleignorancelikeasmallbirdbeatingaboutthecruelwiresofacage。Nothingeasierthantosay，Havenofear!Nothingmoredifficult。Howdoesonekillfear，Iwonder？Howdoyoushootaspectrethroughtheheart，slashoffitsspectralhead，takeitbyitsspectralthroat？Itisanenterpriseyourushintowhileyoudream，andaregladtomakeyourescapewithwethairandeverylimbshaking。Thebulletisnotrun，thebladenotforged，themannotborn；eventhewingedwordsoftruthdropatyourfeetlikelumpsoflead。Yourequireforsuchadesperateencounteranenchantedandpoisonedshaftdippedinalietoosubtletobefoundonearth。Anenterpriseforadream，mymasters!
　　`Ibeganmyexorcismwithaheavyheart，withasortofsullenangerinit，too。Jim’svoice，suddenlyraisedwithasternintonation，carriedacrossthecourtyard，reprovingthecarelessnessofsomedumbsinnerbytheriver-side。Nothing——Isaid，speakinginadistinctmurmur——therecouldbenothing，inthatunknownworldshefanciedsoeagertorobherofherhappiness，therewasnothingneitherlivingnordead，therewasnoface，novoice，nopower，thatcouldtearJimfromherside。Idrewbreathandshewhisperedsoftly，“Hetoldmeso。““Hetoldyouthetruth，“Isaid。
　　“Nothing，“shesighedout，andabruptlyturneduponmewithabarelyaudibleintensityoftone：“Whydidyoucometousfromoutthere？Hespeaksofyoutoooften。Youmakemeafraid。Doyou——doyouwanthim？“Asortofstealthyfiercenesshadcreptintoourhurriedmutters。“Ishallnevercomeagain，“Isaid，bitterly。“AndIdon’twanthim。Noonewantshim。“
　　“Noone？“sherepeatedinatoneofdoubt。“Noone，“Iaffirmed，feelingmyselfswayedbysomestrangeexcitement。“Youthinkhimstrong，wise，courageous，great——whynotbelievehimtobetrue，too？Ishallgoto-morrow——andthatistheend。Youshallneverbetroubledbyavoicefromthereagain。
　　Thisworldyoudon’tknowistoobigtomisshim。Youunderstand？Toobig。
　　You’vegothisheartinyourhand。Youmustfeelthat。Youmustknowthat。“
　　“Yes，Iknowthat，“shebreathedout，hardandstill，asastatuemightwhisper。
　　`IfeltIhaddonenothing。AndwhatisitthatIhadwishedtodo？
　　Iamnotsurenow。AtthetimeIwasanimatedbyaninexplicableardour，asifbeforesomegreatandnecessarytask——theinfluenceofthemomentuponmymentalandemotionalstate。Thereareinallourlivessuchmoments，suchinfluences，comingfromtheoutside，asitwere，irresistible，incomprehensible——asifbroughtaboutbythemysteriousconjunctionsoftheplanets。Sheowned，asIhadputittoher，hisheart。Shehadthatandeverythingelse——ifshecouldonlybelieveit。WhatIhadtotellherwasthatinthewholeworldtherewasnoonewhoeverwouldneedhisheart，hismind，hishand。
　　Itwasacommonfate，andyetitseemedanawfulthingtosayofanyman。
　　Shelistenedwithoutaword，andherstillnessnowwasliketheprotestofaninvincibleunbelief。Whatneedshecarefortheworldbeyondtheforests？Iasked。Fromallthemultitudesthatpeopledthevastnessofthatunknowntherewouldcome，Iassuredher，aslongashelived，neitheracallnorasignforhim。Never。Iwascarriedaway。Never!Never!IrememberwithwonderthesortofdoggedfiercenessIdisplayed。Ihadtheillusionofhavinggotthespectrebythethroatatlast。Indeedthewholerealthinghasleftbehindthedetailedandamazingimpressionofadream。Whyshouldshefear？Sheknewhimtobestrong，true，wise，brave。Hewasallthat。Certainly。Hewasmore。Hewasgreat——invincible——andtheworlddidnotwanthim，ithadforgottenhim，itwouldnotevenknowhim。
　　`Istopped；thesilenceoverPatusanwasprofound，andthefeebledrysoundofapaddlestrikingthesideofacanoesomewhereinthemiddleoftheriverseemedtomakeitinfinite“Why？“shemurmured。Ifeltthatsortofrageonefeelsduringahardtussle。Thespectrewastryingtoslipoutofmygrasp。“Why？“sherepeatedlouder；“tellme!“AndasIremainedconfounded，shestampedwithherfootlikeaspoiltchild。“Why？Speak。“
　　“Youwanttoknow？“Iaskedinafury。“Yes!“shecried。“Becauseheisnotgoodenough，“Isaid，brutally。Duringthemoment’spauseInoticedthefireontheothershoreblazeup，dilatingthecircleofitsglowlikeanamazedstare，andcontractsuddenlytoaredpin-point。IonlyknewhowclosetomeshehadbeenwhenIfelttheclutchofherfingersonmyforearm。Withoutraisinghervoice，shethrewintoitaninfinityofscathingcontempt，bitterness，anddespair。
　　“`Thisistheverythinghesaid……Youlie!“
　　`Thelasttwowordsshecriedatmeinthenativedialect。“Hearmeout!“Ientreated：shecaughtherbreathtremulously，flungmyarmaway。
　　“Nobody，nobodyisgoodenough，“Ibeganwiththegreatestearnestness。
　　Icouldhearthesobbinglabourofherbreathfrightfullyquickened。I
　　hungmyhead。Whatwastheuse？Footstepswereapproaching；Islippedawaywithoutanotherword……’
　　swunghislegsout，gotupquickly，andstaggeredalittle，asthoughhehadbeensetdownafterarushthroughspace。Heleanedhisbackagainstthebalustradeandfacedadisorderedarrayoflongcane-chairs。Thebodiesproneinthemseemedstartledoutoftheirtorporbyhismovement。Oneortwosatupasifalarmed；hereandthereacigarglowedyet；Marlowlookedatthemallwiththeeyesofamanreturningfromtheexcessiveremotenessofadream。Athroatwascleared；acalmvoiceencouragednegligently，`Well？’
　　`Nothing，’saidMarlowwithaslightstart。`Hehadtoldher——that’sall。Shedidnotbelievehim——nothingmore。Astomyself，Idonotknowwhetheritbejust，proper，decentformetorejoiceortobesorry。Formypart，IcannotsaywhatIbelieved——indeedIdon’tknowtothisday，andnevershallprobably。Butwhatdidthepoordevilbelievehimself？
　　Truthshallprevail——don’tyouknowMagnaestveritaset……Yes，whenitgetsachance。Thereisalaw，nodoubt——andlikewisealawregulatesyourluckinthethrowingofdice。ItisnotJusticetheservantofmen，butaccident，hazard，Fortune——theallyofpatientTime——thatholdsanevenandscrupulousbalance。Bothofushadsaidtheverysamething。Didwebothspeakthetruth——ordidoneofus——orneither？……“
　　Marlowpaused，crossedhisarmsonhisbreast，andinachangedtone：
　　`Shesaidwelied。Poorsoul。Well——let’sleaveittochance，whoseallyisTime，thatcannotbehurried，andwhoseenemyisDeath，thatwillnotwait。Ihadretreated——alittlecowed，Imustown。Ihadtriedafallwithfearitselfandgotthrown——ofcourse。Ihadonlysucceededinaddingtoheranguishthehintofsomemysteriouscollusion，ofaninexplicableandincomprehensibleconspiracytokeepherforeverinthedark。Andithadcomeeasily，naturally，unavoidably，byhisact，byherownact!ItwasasthoughIhadbeenshowntheworkingoftheimplacabledestinyofwhichwearethevictims——andthetools。ItwasappallingtothinkofthegirlwhomIhadleftstandingtheremotionless；Jim’sfootstepshadafatefulsoundashetrampedby，withoutseeingme，inhisheavylacedboots。“What？
　　Nolights!“hesaidinnaloudsurprisedvoice。“Whatareyoudoinginthedark——youtwo？“Nextmomenthecaughtsightofher，Isuppose。“Hallo，girl!“hecried，cheerily。“Hallo，boy!“sheansweredatonce，withamazingpluck。
　　`Thiswastheirusualgreetingtoeachother，andthebitofswaggershewouldputintoherratherhighbutsweetvoicewasverydroll，pretty，andchildlike。ItdelightedJimgreatly。ThiswasthelastoccasiononwhichIheardthemexchangethisfamiliarhail，anditstruckachillintomyheart。Therewasthehighsweetvoice，theprettyeffort，theswagger；
　　butitallseemedtodieoutprematurely，andtheplayfulcallsoundedlikeamoan。Itwastooconfoundedlyawful。“WhathaveyoudonewithMarlow？“
　　Jimwasasking；andthen，“Gonedown——hashe？FunnyIdidn’tmeethim……Youthere，Marlow？“
　　`Ididn’tanswer。Iwasn’tgoingin——notyetatanyrate。Ireallycouldn’t。
　　WhilehewascallingmeIwasengagedinmakingmyescapethroughalittlegateleadingoutuponastretchofnewlyclearedground。No；Icouldn’tfacethemyet。Iwalkedhastilywithloweredheadalongatroddenpath。
　　Thegroundrosegently，thefewbigtreeshadbeenfelled，theundergrowthhadbeencutdownandthegrassfired。Hehadamindtotryacoffee-plantationthere。Thebighill，rearingitsdoublesummitcoal-blackintheclearyellowglowoftherisingmoon，seemedtocastitsshadowuponthegroundpreparedforthatexperiment。Hewasgoingtotrysomanyexperiments；
　　Ihadadmiredhisenergy，hisenterprise，andhisshrewdness。Nothingonearthseemedlessrealnowthanhisplans，hisenergy，andhisenthusiasm；
　　andraisingmyeyes，Isawpartofthemoonglitteringthroughthebushesatthebottomofthechasm。Foramomentitlookedasthoughthesmoothdisk，fallingfromitsplaceintheskyupontheearth，hadrolledtothebottomofthatprecipice：itsascendingmovementwaslikealeisurelyrebound；
　　itdisengageditselffromthetangleoftwigs；thebarecontortedlimbofsometree，growingontheslope，madeablackcrackrightacrossitsface。Itthrewitslevelraysafarasiffromacavern，andinthismournfuleclipse-likelightthestumpsoffelledtreesuproseverydark，theheavyshadowsfellatmyfeetonallsides，myownmovingshadow，andacrossmypaththeshadowofthesolitarygraveperpetuallygarlandedwithflowers。
　　Inthedarkenedmoonlighttheinterlacedblossomstookonshapesforeigntoone’smemoryandcoloursindefinabletotheeye，asthoughtheyhadbeenspecialflowersgatheredbynoman，grownnotinthisworld，anddestinedfortheuseofthedeadalone。Theirpowerfulscenthunginthewarmair，makingitthickandheavylikethefumesofincense。Thelumpsofwhitecoralshoneroundthedarkmoundlikeachapletofbleachedskulls，andeverythingaroundwassoquietthatwhenIstoodstillallsoundandallmovementsintheworldseemedtocometoanend。
　　`Itwasagreatpeace，asiftheearthhadbeenonegrave，andforatimeIstoodtherethinkingmostlyofthelivingwho，buriedinremoteplacesoutoftheknowledgeofmankind，stillarefatedtoshareinitstragicorgrotesquemiseries。Initsnoblestruggles，too——whoknows？Thehumanheartisvastenoughtocontainalltheworld。Itisvaliantenoughtobeartheburden，butwhereisthecouragethatwouldcastitoff？
　　`IsupposeImusthavefallenintoasentimentalmood；IonlyknowthatIstoodtherelongenoughforthesenseofuttersolitudetogetholdofmesocompletelythatallIhadlatelyseen，allIhadheard，andtheveryhumanspeechitself，seemedtohavepassedawayoutofexistence，livingonlyforawhilelongerinmymemory，asthoughIhadbeenthelastofmankind。Itwasastrangeandmelancholyillusion，evolvedhalf-consciouslylikeallourillusions，whichIsuspectonlytobevisionsofremoteunattainabletruth，seendimly。Thiswas，indeed，oneofthelost，forgotten，unknownplacesoftheearth；Ihadlookedunderitsobscuresurface；andIfeltthatwhento-morrowIhadleftitforever，itwouldslipoutofexistence，toliveonlyinmymemorytillImyselfpassedintooblivion。Ihavethatfeelingaboutmenow；perhapsitisthatfeelingwhichhadincitedmetotellyouthestory，totrytohandovertoyou，asitwere，itsveryexistence，itsreality——thetruthdisclosedinamomentofillusion。
　　`Corneliusbrokeuponit。Heboltedout，vermin-like，fromthelonggrassgrowinginadepressionoftheground。Ibelievehishousewasrottingsomewherenearby，thoughI’veneverseenit，nothavingbeenfarenoughinthatdirection。Herantowardsmeuponthepath；hisfeet，shodindirtywhiteshoes，twinkledonthedarkearth；hepulledhimselfup，andbegantowhineandcringeunderatallstove-pipehat。Hisdried-uplittlecarcasswasswallowedup，totallylost，inasuitofblackbroadcloth。Thatwashiscostumeforholidaysandceremonies，anditremindedmethatthiswasthefourthSundayIhadspentinPatusan。AllthetimeofmystayIhadbeenvaguelyawareofhisdesiretoconfideinme，ifheonlycouldgetmealltohimself。Hehungaboutwithaneagercravinglookonhissouryellowlittleface；buthistimidityhadkepthimbackasmuchasmynaturalreluctancetohaveanythingtodowithsuchanunsavourycreature。Hewouldhavesucceeded，nevertheless，hadhenotbeensoreadytoslinkoffassoonasyoulookedathim。HewouldslinkoffbeforeJim’sseveregaze，beforemyown，whichItriedtomakeindifferent，evenbeforeTamb’Itam’ssurly，superiorglance。Hewasperpetuallyslinkingaway；wheneverseenhewasseenmovingoffdeviously，hisfaceoverhisshoulder，witheitheramistrustfulsnarlorawoebegone，piteous，muteaspect，butnoassumedexpressioncouldconcealthisinnateirremediableabjectnessofhisnature，anymorethananarrangementofclothingcanconcealsomemonstrousdeformityofthebody。