"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.
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