Лорд Джим

Chapter 22

           Itseemsimpossibletobelievethatmeregreedcouldholdmentosuchasteadfastnessofpurpose,tosuchablindpersistenceinendeavourandsacrifice.Andindeedthosewhoadventuredtheirpersonsandlivesriskedalltheyhadforaslenderreward.Theylefttheirbonestoliebleachingondistantshores,sothatwealthmightflowtothelivingathome.Tous,theirlesstriedsuccessors,theyappearmagnified,notasagentsoftradebutasinstrumentsofarecordeddestiny,pushingoutintotheunknowninobediencetoaninwardvoice,toanimpulsebeatingintheblood,toadreamofthefuture.Theywerewonderful;anditmustbeownedtheywerereadyforthewonderful.Theyrecordeditcomplacentlyintheirsufferings,intheaspectoftheseas,inthecustomsofstrangenations,inthegloryofsplendidrulers.

           ‘InPatusantheyhadfoundlotsofpepper,andhadbeenimpressedbythemagnificenceandthewisdomoftheSultan;butsomehow,afteracenturyofchequeredintercourse,thecountryseemstodropgraduallyoutofthetrade.Perhapsthepepperhadgivenout.Beitasitmay,nobodycaresforitnow;thegloryhasdeparted,theSultanisanimbecileyouthwithtwothumbsonhislefthandandanuncertainandbeggarlyrevenueextortedfromamiserablepopulationandstolenfromhimbyhismanyuncles.

           ‘ThisofcourseIhavefromStein.Hegavemetheirnamesandashortsketchofthelifeandcharacterofeach.Hewasasfullofinformationaboutnativestatesasanofficialreport,butinfinitelymoreamusing.

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