the quiet sheet of dark…blue water； crossed by a bar of
purple； made a background for the spinning wheels and
the high action of the horses； whilst the turbaned heads
of the Indian servants elevated above the line of the sea
horizon glided rapidly on the paler blue of the sky。 In
an open space near the little bridge each turn…out trotted
smartly in a wide curve away from the sunset； then pull…
ing up sharp； entered the main alley in a long slow…
moving file with the great red stillness of the sky at
the back。 The trunks of mighty trees stood all touched
with red on the same side； the air seemed aflame under
the high foliage； the very ground under the hoofs of the
horses was red。 The wheels turned solemnly； one after
another the sunshades drooped； folding their colors like
gorgeous flowers shutting their petals at the end of the
day。 In the whole half…mile of human beings no voice
uttered a distinct word； only a faint thudding noise went
on mingled with slight jingling sounds； and the motion…
less heads and shoulders of men and women sitting in
couples emerged stolidly above the lowered hoodsas if
wooden。 But one carriage and pair coming late did not
join the line。
It fled along in a noiseless roll； but on entering the
avenue one of the dark bays snorted； arching his neck
and shying against the steel…tipped pole； a flake of
foam fell from the bit upon the point of a satiny shoul…
der； and the dusky face of the coachman leaned for…
ward at once over the hands taking a fresh grip of the
reins。 It was a long dark…green landau； having a digni…
fied and buoyant motion between the sharply curved
C…springs； and a sort of strictly official majesty in its
supreme elegance。 It seemed more roomy than is usual；
its horses seemed slightly bigger； the appointments a
shade more perfect； the servants perched somewhat
higher on the box。 The dresses of three womentwo
young and pretty； and one； handsome； large； of mature
ageseemed to fill completely the shallow body of the
carriage。 The fourth face was that of a man； heavy
lidded； distinguished and sallow； with a somber； thick；
iron…gray imperial and mustaches； which somehow had
the air of solid appendages。 His Excellency
The rapid motion of that one equipage made all the
others appear utterly inferior； blighted； and reduced to
crawl painfully at a snail's pace。 The landau distanced
the whole file in a sort of sustained rush； the features
of the occupant whirling out of sight left behind an
impression of fixed stares and impassive vacancy； and
after it had vanished in full flight as it were； notwith…
standing the long line of vehicles hugging the curb at
a walk； the whole lofty vista of the avenue seemed to lie
open and emptied of life in the enlarged impression of
an august solitude。
Captain Whalley had lifted his head to look； and his
mind； disturbed in its meditation； turned with wonder
（as men's minds will do） to matters of no importance。
It struck him that it was to this port； where he had
just sold his last ship； that he had come with the very
first he had ever owned； and with his head full of a plan
for opening a new trade with a distant part of the
Archipelago。 The then governor had given him no end
of encouragement。 No Excellency hethis Mr。 Den…
hamthis governor with his jacket off； a man who
tended night and day； so to speak； the growing pros…
perity of the settlement with the self…forgetful devotion
of a nurse for a child she loves； a lone bachelor who
lived as in a camp with the few servants and his three
dogs in what was called then the Government Bungalow：
a low…roofed structure on the half…cleared slope of a
hill； with a new flagstaff in front and a police orderly
on the veranda。 He remembered toiling up that hill
under a heavy sun for his audience； the unfurnished
aspect of the cool shaded room； the long table covered
at one end with piles of papers； and with two guns； a
brass telescope； a small bottle of oil with a feather stuck
in the neck at the otherand the flattering attention
given to him by the man in power。 It was an under…
taking full of risk he had come to expound； but a twenty
minutes' talk in the Government Bungalow on the hill
had made it go smoothly from the start。 And as he
was retiring Mr。 Denham； already seated before the
papers； called out after him； 〃Next month the Dido
starts for a cruise that way； and I shall request her
captain officially to give you a look in and see how
you get on。〃 The Dido was one of the smart frigates on
the China stationand five…and…thirty years make a big
slice of time。 Five…and…thirty years ago an enterprise
like his had for the colony enough importance to be
looked after by a Queen's ship。 A big slice of time。
Individuals were of some account then。 Men like him…
self； men； too； like poor Evans； for instance； with his
red face； his coal…black whiskers； and his restless eyes；
who had set up the first patent slip for repairing small
ships； on the edge of the forest； in a lonely bay three
miles up the coast。 Mr。 Denham had encouraged that
enterprise too； and yet somehow poor Evans had ended
by dying at home deucedly hard up。 His son； they said；
was squeezing oil out of cocoa…nuts for a living on some
God…forsaken islet of the Indian Ocean； but it was from
that patent slip in a lonely wooded bay that had sprung
the workshops of the Consolidated Docks Company； with
its three graving basins carved out of solid rock； its
wharves； its jetties； its electric…light plant； its steam…
power houseswith its gigantic sheer…legs； fit to lift the
heaviest weight ever carried afloat； and whose head could
be seen like the top of a queer white monument peeping
over bushy points of land and sandy promontories； as
you approached the New Harbor from the west。
There had been a time when men counted： there were
not so many carriages in the colony then； though Mr。
Denham； he fancied； had a buggy。 And Captain Whal…
ley seemed to be swept out of the great avenue by the
swirl of a mental backwash。 He remembered muddy
shores； a harbor without quays； the one solitary wooden
pier （but that was a public work） jutting out crookedly；
the first coal…sheds erected on Monkey Point； that caught
fire mysteriously and smoldered for days； so that
amazed ships came into a roadstead full of sulphurous
smoke； and the sun hung blood…red at midday。 He re…
membered the things； the faces； and something more
besideslike the faint flavor of a cup quaffed to the
bottom； like a subtle sparkle of the air that was not
to be found in the atmosphere of to…day。
In this evocation； swift and full of detail like a flash
of magnesium light into the niches of a dark memorial
hall； Captain Whalley contemplated things once impor…
tant； the efforts of small men； the growth of a great
place； but now robbed of all consequence by the great…
ness of accomplished facts； by hopes greater still； and
they gave him for a moment such an almost physical
grip upon time； such a comprehension of our unchange…
able feelings； that he stopped short； struck the ground
with his stick； and ejaculated mentally； 〃What the devil
am I doing here！〃 He seemed lost in a sort of surprise；
but he heard his name called out in wheezy tones once；
twiceand turned on his heels slowly。
He beheld then； waddling towards him autocratically；
a man of an old…fashioned and gouty aspect； with hair
as white as his own； but with shaved； florid cheeks； wear…
ing a necktiealmost a neckclothwhose stiff ends pro…
jected far beyond his chin； with round legs； round arms；
a round body； a round facegenerally producing the
effect of his short figure having been distended by means
of an air…pump as much as the seams of his clothing
would stand。 This was the Master…Attendant of the
port。 A master…attendant is a superior sort of harbor…
master； a person； out in the East； of some consequence
in his sphere； a Government official； a magistrate for
the waters of the port； and possessed of vast but ill…
defined disciplinary authority over seamen of all classes。
This particular Master…Attendant was reported to con…
sider it miserably inadequate； on the ground that it
did not include the power of life and death。 This was
a jocular exaggeration。 Captain Eliott was fairly satis…
fied with his position； and nursed no inconsiderable sense
of such power as he had。 His conceited and tyrannical
disposition did not allow him to let it dwindle in his
hands for want of use。 The uproarious； choleric frank…
ness of his comments on people's character and conduct
caused him to be feared at bottom； though in conversa…
tion many pretended not to mind him in the least； others
would only smile sourly at the mention of his name； and
there were even some who dared to pronounce him 〃a
meddlesome old ruffian。〃 But for almost all of them
one of Captain Eliott's outbreaks was nearly as distaste…
ful to face as a chance of annihilation。
V
As soon as he had come up quite close he said； mouth…
ing in a growl
〃What's this I hear； Whalley？ Is it true you're sell…
ing the Fair Maid？〃
Captain Whalley； looking away