Chapter LIV

           

           AswewalkedalongIreflectedonacircumstancewhichallthatIhadlatelyheardaboutStricklandforcedonmyattention.Here,onthisremoteisland,heseemedtohavearousednoneofthedetestationwithwhichhewasregardedathome,butcompassionrather;andhisvagarieswereacceptedwithtolerance.Tothesepeople,nativeandEuropean,hewasaqueerfish,buttheywereusedtoqueerfish,andtheytookhimforgranted;theworldwasfullofoddpersons,whodidoddthings;andperhapstheyknewthatamanisnotwhathewantstobe,butwhathemustbe.InEnglandandFrancehewasthesquarepegintheroundhole,butheretheholeswereanysortofshape,andnosortofpegwasquiteamiss.Idonotthinkhewasanygentlerhere,lessselfishorlessbrutal,butthecircumstancesweremorefavourable.Ifhehadspenthislifeamidthesesurroundingshemighthavepassedfornoworseamanthananother.Hereceivedherewhatheneitherexpectednorwantedamonghisownpeople—sympathy.

           ItriedtotellCaptainBrunotsomethingoftheastonishmentwithwhichthisfilledme,andforalittlewhilehedidnotanswer.

           "ItisnotstrangethatI,atallevents,shouldhavehadsympathyforhim,"hesaidatlast,"for,thoughperhapsneitherofusknewit,wewerebothaimingatthesamething."

           "WhatonearthcanitbethattwopeoplesodissimilarasyouandStricklandcouldaimat?"Iasked,smiling.

           "Beauty."

           "Alargeorder,"Imurmured.

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