Chapter 8

The news as to the identity of the body lying now in Almayer's compound
spread rapidly over the settlement. During the forenoon most of the
inhabitants remained in the long street discussing the mysterious return
and the unexpected death of the man who had become known to them as the
trader. His arrival during the north-east monsoon, his long sojourn in
their midst, his sudden departure with his brig, and, above all, the
mysterious appearance of the body, said to be his, amongst the logs, were
subjects to wonder at and to talk over and over again with undiminished
interest. Mahmat moved from house to house and from group to group,
always ready to repeat his tale: how he saw the body caught by the sarong
in a forked log; how Mrs. Almayer coming, one of the first, at his cries,
recognised it, even before he had it hauled on shore; how Babalatchi
ordered him to bring it out of the water. "By the feet I dragged him in,
and there was no head," exclaimed Mahmat, "and how could the white man's
wife know who it was? She was a witch, it was well known. And did you
see how the white man himself ran away at the sight of the body? Like a
deer he ran!" And here Mahmat imitated Almayer's long strides, to the
great joy of the beholders. And for all his trouble he had nothing. The
ring with the green stone Tuan Babalatchi kept. "Nothing! Nothing!" He
spat down at his feet in sign of disgust, and left that group to seek
further on a fresh audience.

The news spreading to the furthermost parts of the settlement found out
Abdulla in the cool recess of his godown, where he sat overlooking his
Arab clerks and the men loading and unloading the up-country canoes.
Reshid, who was busy on the jetty, was summoned into his uncle's presence
and found him, as usual, very calm and even cheerful, but very much
surprised. The rumour of the capture or destruction of Dain's brig had
reached the Arab's ears three days before from the sea-fishermen and
through the dwellers on the lower reaches of the river. It had been
passed up-stream from neighbour to neighbour till Bulangi, whose clearing
was nearest to the settlement, had brought that news himself to Abdulla
whose favour he courted. But rumour also spoke of a fight and of Dain's
death on board his own vessel. And now all the settlement talked of
Dain's visit to the Rajah and of his death when crossing the river in the
dark to see Almayer.

They could not understand this. Reshid thought that it was very strange.
He felt uneasy and doubtful. But Abdulla, after the first shock of
surprise, with the old age's dislike for solving riddles, showed a
becoming resignation. He remarked that the man was dead now at all
events, and consequently no more dangerous. Where