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I
Hereandtheregleamsasofafewscatteredpiecesofsilvermarkedthewindingsofthegreatriver;andonthenearestofthem,justwithinthebar,thetugsteamingrightintothelandbecamelosttomysight,hullandfunnelandmasts,asthoughtheimpassiveearthhadswallowedherupwithoutaneffort,withoutatremor.Myeyefollowedthelightcloudofhersmoke,nowhere,nowthere,abovetheplain,accordingtothedeviouscurvesofthestream,butalwaysfainterandfartheraway,tillIlostitatlastbehindthemiter-shapedhillofthegreatpagoda.AndthenIwasleftalonewithmyship,anchoredattheheadoftheGulfofSiam.
Shefloatedatthestartingpointofalongjourney,verystillinanimmensestillness,theshadowsofhersparsflungfartotheeastwardbythesettingsun.AtthatmomentIwasaloneonherdecks.Therewasnotasoundinher—andaroundusnothingmoved,nothinglived,notacanoeonthewater,notabirdintheair,notacloudinthesky.Inthisbreathlesspauseatthethresholdofalongpassageweseemedtobemeasuringourfitnessforalongandarduousenterprise,theappointedtaskofbothourexistencestobecarriedout,farfromallhumaneyes,withonlyskyandseaforspectatorsandforjudges.
Theremusthavebeensomeglareintheairtointerferewithone’ssight,becauseitwasonlyjustbeforethesunleftusthatmyroamingeyesmadeoutbeyondthehighestridgesoftheprincipalisletofthegroupsomethingwhichdidawaywiththesolemnityofperfectsolitude.
