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Captain Whalley had been also the pioneer of the early
trade in the Gulf of Pe…tchi…li。 He even found occasion
to mention that he had buried his 〃dear wife〃 there
six…and…twenty years ago。 Mr。 Van Wyk； impassive；
could not help speculating in his mind swiftly as to
the sort of woman that would mate with such a man。
Did they make an adventurous and well…matched pair？
No。 Very possible she had been small； frail； no doubt
very feminineor most likely commonplace with do…
mestic instincts； utterly insignificant。 But Captain
Whalley was no garrulous bore； and shaking his head
as if to dissipate the momentary gloom that had settled
on his handsome old face； he alluded conversationally to
Mr。 Van Wyk's solitude。
Mr。 Van Wyk affirmed that sometimes he had more
company than he wanted。 He mentioned smilingly
some of the peculiarities of his intercourse with 〃My
Sultan。〃 He made his visits in force。 Those people
damaged his grass plot in front （it was not easy to
obtain some approach to a lawn in the tropics； and the
other day had broken down some rare bushes he had
planted over there。 And Captain Whalley remembered
immediately that； in 'forty…seven； the then Sultan； 〃this
man's grandfather；〃 had been notorious as a great pro…
tector of the piratical fleets of praus from farther East。
They had a safe refuge in the river at Batu Beru。 He
financed more especially a Balinini chief called Haji
Daman。 Captain Whalley； nodding significantly his
bushy white eyebrows； had very good reason to know
something of that。 The world had progressed since
that time。
Mr。 Van Wyk demurred with unexpected acrimony。
Progressed in what？ he wanted to know。
Why； in knowledge of truth； in decency； in justice； in
orderin honesty too； since men harmed each other
mostly from ignorance。 It was； Captain Whalley con…
cluded quaintly； more pleasant to live in。
Mr。 Van Wyk whimsically would not admit that Mr。
Massy； for instance； was more pleasant naturally than
the Balinini pirates。
The river had not gained much by the change。 They
were in their way every bit as honest。 Massy was less
ferocious than Haji Daman no doubt； but 。 。 。
〃And what about you； my good sir？〃 Captain
Whalley laughed a deep soft laugh。 〃YOU are an im…
provement； surely。〃
He continued in a vein of pleasantry。 A good cigar
was better than a knock on the headthe sort of wel…
come he would have found on this river forty or fifty
years ago。 Then leaning forward slightly； he became
earnestly serious。 It seems as if； outside their own sea…
gypsy tribes； these rovers had hated all mankind with
an incomprehensible； bloodthirsty hatred。 Meantime
their depredations had been stopped； and what was the
consequence？ The new generation was orderly； peace…
able； settled in prosperous villages。 He could speak
from personal knowledge。 And even the few survivors
of that timeold men nowhad changed so much； that
it would have been unkind to remember against them
that they had ever slit a throat in their lives。 He had
one especially in his mind's eye： a dignified； venerable
headman of a certain large coast village about sixty
miles sou'west of Tampasuk。 It did one's heart good
to see himto hear that man speak。 He might have
been a ferocious savage once。 What men wanted was
to be checked by superior intelligence； by superior
knowledge； by superior force tooyes； by force held in
trust from God and sanctified by its use in accordance
with His declared will。 Captain Whalley believed a dis…
position for good existed in every man； even if the
world were not a very happy place as a whole。 In the
wisdom of men he had not so much confidence。 The dis…
position had to be helped up pretty sharply sometimes；
he admitted。 They might be silly； wrongheaded； un…
happy； but naturally evilno。 There was at bottom
a complete harmlessness at least 。 。 。
〃Is there？〃 Mr。 Van Wyk snapped acrimoniously。
Captain Whalley laughed at the interjection； in the
good humor of large； tolerating certitude。 He could
look back at half a century； he pointed out。 The smoke
oozed placidly through the white hairs hiding his kindly
lips。
〃At all events；〃 he resumed after a pause； 〃I am
glad that they've had no time to do you much harm as
yet。〃
This allusion to his comparative youthfulness did not
offend Mr。 Van Wyk； who got up and wriggled his
shoulders with an enigmatic half…smile。 They walked
out together amicably into the starry night towards
the river…side。 Their footsteps resounded unequally on
the dark path。 At the shore end of the gangway the
lantern； hung low to the handrail； threw a vivid light
on the white legs and the big black feet of Mr。 Massy
waiting about anxiously。 From the waist upwards he
remained shadowy； with a row of buttons gleaming up
to the vague outline of his chin。
〃You may thank Captain Whalley for this；〃 Mr。 Van
Wyk said curtly to him before turning away。
The lamps on the veranda flung three long squares
of light between the uprights far over the grass。 A bat
flitted before his face like a circling flake of velvety
blackness。 Along the jasmine hedge the night air
seemed heavy with the fall of perfumed dew； flower…
beds bordered the path； the clipped bushes uprose in
dark rounded clumps here and there before the house；
the dense foliage of creepers filtered the sheen of the
lamplight within in a soft glow all along the front；
and everything near and far stood still in a great im…
mobility； in a great sweetness。
Mr。 Van Wyk （a few years before he had had occasion
to imagine himself treated more badly than anybody
alive had ever been by a woman） felt for Captain
Whalley's optimistic views the disdain of a man who
had once been credulous himself。 His disgust with the
world （the woman for a time had filled it for him com…
pletely） had taken the form of activity in retirement；
because； though capable of great depth of feeling； he
was energetic and essentially practical。 But there was
in that uncommon old sailor； drifting on the outskirts
of his busy solitude； something that fascinated his
skepticism。 His very simplicity （amusing enough） was
like a delicate refinement of an upright character。 The
striking dignity of manner could be nothing else； in a
man reduced to such a humble position； but the ex…
pression of something essentially noble