On each of Ford's monthly visits to Sambir Ali had to go on
board with a report about the inhabitant of "Almayer's Folly." On his
first visit to Sambir, after Nina's departure, Ford had taken charge of
Almayer's affairs. They were not cumbersome. The shed for the storage
of goods was empty, the boats had disappeared, appropriated--generally in
night-time--by various citizens of Sambir in need of means of transport.
During a great flood the jetty of Lingard and Co. left the bank and
floated down the river, probably in search of more cheerful surroundings;
even the flock of geese--"the only geese on the east coast"--departed
somewhere, preferring the unknown dangers of the bush to the desolation
of their old home. As time went on the grass grew over the black patch
of ground where the old house used to stand, and nothing remained to mark
the place of the dwelling that had sheltered Almayer's young hopes, his
foolish dream of splendid future, his awakening, and his despair.
Ford did not often visit Almayer, for visiting Almayer was not a pleasant
task. At first he used to respond listlessly to the old seaman's
boisterous inquiries about his health; he even made efforts to talk,
asking for news in a voice that made it perfectly clear that no news from
this world had any interest for him.
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