The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-22

BY JOSEPH CONRAD
Copyright. 1904. by Mcclure. Philips Coz

the heavy plunge was followed by a.
regretful clamOr all over the decks,
and a general rush to the side There
was nothing to be seen; he had gone
through the layer of fog covering the
water. No one heard him blow or
splutter. 1t was as if lump of lead
had fallen overload.
Williams wouldn't have had this
happen for five-pound note Sc
bright expressed the hope that he
wouldn't cheat the gallows by drown
ing. The two men who had held him
skunk away abashed. To lower a boat
for the purpose of catching him in the
water would have been useless and
imprudent
His friends can't be far off yet in
the boats,'' growled the bo'sun; "and
If they don't pick him up, they would
be more likely to pick up our chaps"
Somebody expectorated in so mark
ed manner that I looked behind me-
Castro had resumed his cloak and was
draping himself with deliberate digni-
ty. When this undertaking had been
accomplished, he came up very close
to me, and without a word looked up
balefully from the heavy folds thrown
across his mouth and chin under the
very tip of his hooked nose.
Il could not do it, said. IT could
not. 1t would have been useless. Too
"Oh, the Inconsistency, the fancifuI-
ness Of these English he generalized,
with suppressed passion, right into my
face. II don't know what's worse, their
fury or their pity. The childishness of
1T! The childishness. Do you
imagine, senior, that Manuel or the
Juez O'Brien shall some day spare you
in their turn? If 1 didn't know the
courage of your nation
Il despise the Juez and Manuel
alike" l interrupted angrily. de-
splsed Castro, too, at that moment, and
he paid me back with interest. There
was no mistaking his scathing tone.
Il know you we'll You scorn your
friends as well as your foes have
seen SO many Of you! The blessed
saints guard US from the calamity of
your friendship. e"
No friendship could make an as
sassin of me, Mr.. Castro. ~
Which is only a very little
less calamitous than your enmity,'' he
continued in a cold rage. "a very
little less. You let Manuel go.
Manuel! Because Of your
mercy. Mercy! Bahl 1t is
all your pride-your mad pride. You
shall rue it, senor. Heaven is Just
You shall rue 1t, senor.''
He denounced me prophetically,
wrapped up with an air of midnight
9SNACCy, pul, d1l6F dll, lie udQ DG6n
friend in the act, if not in the spirit,
and I contented myself by asking,
with some pity for his imbecile crav-
ing after murder:
why? What can Manuel do to
me He at least is completely help
less'
did the Senor Don Juan ever ask
himself what Manuel could do to me
Tomas Castro? To me, who am poor
and vagabond, and a friend of Don
Carlos, may his soul rest with God.
Are all you English like princes that
you should never think of anybody but
yourselveS?"
He revolted and provoked me, as If
his opinion of the English could mat
ter, or his point of view signify any
thing against the authority Of my con-
science. And 1t Is our conscience that
tllumines the romantic side Of our life.
Brusquely I turned my back on him,
and heard the repeated clicking Of flint
against his blade. He lighted q ciga-
rette, and crossed the deck to lean
cloaked against the bulwark, smoking
moodily under his slouched hat.