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in his hand； was making towards us prudently； and
I discovered then the only sign of weakness in Falk。
He had for Schomberg a repulsion resembling that
sort of physical fear some people experience at the
sight of a toad。 Perhaps to a man so essentially
and silently concentrated upon himself （though he
could talk well enough； as I was to find out
presently） the other's irrepressible loquacity； em…
bracing every human being within range of the
tongue； might have appeared unnatural； disgust…
ing； and monstrous。 He suddenly gave signs of
restivenesspositively like a horse about to rear；
and； muttering hurriedly as if in great pain； 〃No。
I can't stand that fellow；〃 seemed ready to bolt。
This weakness of his gave me the advantage at the
very start。 〃Verandah；〃 I suggested； as if ren…
dering him a service； and walked him out by the
arm。 We stumbled over a few chairs； we had the
feeling of open space before us； and felt the fresh
breath of the riverfresh； but tainted。 The Chi…
nese theatres across the water made； in the sparsely
twinkling masses of gloom an Eastern town pre…
sents at night； blazing centres of light； and of a
distant and howling uproar。 I felt him become
suddenly tractable again like an animal； like a
good…tempered horse when the object that scares
him is removed。 Yes。 I felt in the darkness there
how tractable he was； without my conviction of his
inflexibilitytenacity； rather； perhapsbeing in
the least weakened。 His very arm abandoning it…
self to my grasp was as hard as marblelike a limb
of iron。 But I heard a tumultuous scuffling of
boot…soles within。 The unspeakable idiots inside
were crowding to the windows； climbing over each
other's backs behind the blinds； billiard cues and all。
Somebody broke a window pane； and with the sound
of falling glass； so suggestive of riot and devasta…
tion； Schomberg reeled out after us in a state of
funk which had prevented his parting with his
brandy and soda。 He must have trembled like an
aspen leaf。 The piece of ice in the long tumbler
he held in his hand tinkled with an effect of chat…
tering teeth。 〃I beg you； gentlemen；〃 he expost…
ulated thickly。 〃Come！ Really； now； I must in…
sist 。 。 。〃
How proud I am of my presence of mind！
〃Hallo；〃 I said instantly in a loud and naive tone；
〃somebody's breaking your windows； Schomberg。
Would you please tell one of your boys to bring
out here a pack of cards and a couple of lights？
And two long drinks。 Will you？〃
To receive an order soothed him at once。 It was
business。 〃Certainly；〃 he said in an immensely
relieved tone。 The night was rainy； with wander…
ing gusts of wind； and while we waited for the can…
dles Falk said； as if to justify his panic； 〃I don't
interfere in anybody's business。 I don't give any
occasion for talk。 I am a respectable man。 But
this fellow is always making out something wrong；
and can never rest till he gets somebody to believe
him。〃
This was the first of my knowledge of Falk。
This desire of respectability； of being like every…
body else； was the only recognition he vouchsafed
to the organisation of mankind。 For the rest he
might have been the member of a herd； not of a so…
ciety。 Self…preservation was his only concern。
Not selfishness； but mere self…preservation。 Sel…
fishness presupposes consciousness； choice； the pres…
ence of other men； but his instinct acted as though
he were the last of mankind nursing that law like
the only spark of a sacred fire。 I don't mean to
say that living naked in a cavern would have satis…
fied him。 Obviously he was the creature of the
conditions to which he was born。 No doubt self…
preservation meant also the preservation of these
conditions。 But essentially it meant something
much more simple； natural； and powerful。 How
shall I express it？ It meant the preservation of the
five senses of his bodylet us saytaking it in its
narrowest as well as in its widest meaning。 I think
you will admit before long the justice of this judg…
ment。 However； as we stood there together in the
dark verandah I had judged nothing as yetand
I had no desire to judgewhich is an idle practice
anyhow。 The light was long in coming。
〃Of course；〃 I said in a tone of mutual under…
standing； 〃it isn't exactly a game of cards I want
with you。〃
I saw him draw his hands down his facethe
vague stir of the passionate and meaningless ges…
ture； but he waited in silent patience。 It was only
when the lights had been brought out that he
opened his lips。 I understood his mumble to mean
that 〃he didn't know any game。〃
〃Like this Schomberg and all the other fools
will have to keep off；〃 I said tearing open the pack。
〃Have you heard that we are universally supposed
to be quarrelling about a girl？ You know who
of course。 I am really ashamed to ask； but is it
possible that you do me the honour to think me dan…
gerous？〃
As I said these words I felt how absurd it was
and also I felt flatteredfor； really； what else
could it be？ His answer； spoken in his usual dis…
passionate undertone； made it clear that it was so；
but not precisely as flattering as I supposed。 He
thought me dangerous with Hermann； more than
with the girl herself； but； as to quarrelling； I saw
at once how inappropriate the word was。 We had
no quarrel。 Natural forces are not quarrelsome。
You can't quarrel with the wind that inconveniences
and humiliates you by blowing off your hat in a
street full of people。 He had no quarrel with me。
Neither would a boulder； falling on my head； have
had。 He fell upon me in accordance with the law
by which he was movednot of gravitation； like a
detached stone； but of self…preservation。 Of course
this is giving it a rather wide interpretation。
Strictly speaking； he had existed and could have
existed without being married。 Yet he told me that
he had found it more and more difficult to live
alone。 Yes。 He told me this in his low； careless
voice； to such a pitch of confidence had we arrived
at the end of half an hour。
It took me just about that time to convince him
that I had never dreamed of marrying Hermann's
niece。 Could any necessity have been more extrava…
gant？ And the difficulty was the greater because
he was so hard hit that he couldn't imagine any…
body being able to remain in a state of indifference。
Any man with eyes in his head； he seemed to think；
could not help coveting so much bodily magnifi…
cence。 This profound belief was conveyed by the
manner he listened sitting sideways to the table and
playing absently with a few cards I had dealt to
him at random。 And the more I saw into him the
more I saw of him。 The wind swayed the lights
so that his sunburnt face； whiskered to the eyes；
seemed to successively flicker crimson at me and to
go out。 I saw the extraordinary breadth of the
high cheek…bones； the perpendicular style of the