06 - Almayers Folly (version 2) by Joseph Conrad

Almayer’s Folly is a dramatic tale of ambition, greed, and personal downfall. European trader Kaspar Almayer, obsessed with finding gold in Malaysia, watches his dreams crumble as his family and fortune slip away. A haunting study of colonialism and failure.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Six dane was not long in crossing the river. After
leaving Almyre, he landed at the water gate of the
stock cage, enclosing the group of houses which composed the
residence of the Rajah of Samvir. Evidently somebody was expected there,
for the gate was open and men with torches were
ready to precede the visitor up the inclined plane of

(00:23):
planks leading to the largest house, where Lakamba actually resided
and where all the business estate was invariably transactive. The
other buildings within the enclosure served only to accommodate the
numerous household and the wives of the ruler. La Kamba's
own house was a strong structure of solid planks raised
on high piles, with a veranda of split bamboos surrounding

(00:46):
it on all sides. The whole was covered in by
an immensely high pitched roof of palm leaves resting on
beams blackened by the smoke of many torches. The building
stood parallel to the river, one of its long sides
facing the water gate of the stock gate. There was
a door in the short side looking up the river,
and the inclined plankway led straight from the gate to

(01:08):
that door. By the uncertain light of smoky torches, Dane
noticed the vague outlines of a group of armed men
in the dark shadows to his right. From that group,
Babolachi stepped forward to open the door, and Dane entered
the audience chamber of the Rajah's residence. About one third
of the house was curtained off by heavy stuff of

(01:29):
European manufacture for that purpose. Close to the curtain there
was a big armchair of some black wood, much carved,
and before it a rough deal table. Otherwise the room
was only furnished with mats in great profusion. To the
left of the entrance stood a rude arm rack with
three rifles with fixed bayonets in it. By the wall,

(01:50):
in the shadow the bodyguard of Lakamba, all friends of
relations slept in a confused heap of brown arms, legs,
and multicolored garments. From whence issued an occasional snore or
a subdued groan of some uneasy sleeper, and European lamp
with a green shade standing on the table made all
this indistinctly visible to Dane. You are welcome to your

(02:11):
rest here, said Babilachi, looking at Dane inderogatively, I must
speak to the rajah At Once answered Dane. Babilachi made
a gesture of assent, and, turning to the brass gong
suspended under the arm rack, struck two sharp blows. The
ear splitting din woke up the guard. The snores ceased,
outstretched legs were drawn in. The whole heap moved and

(02:34):
slowly resolved itself into individual forms, with much yawning and
rubbing of sleepy eyes. Behind the curtains, there was a
burst of feminine chatter. Then the bass voice of La
Kamba was heard. Is that the Arab trader no twan,
answered Baba Lachi Dane has returned at last. He is
herefore an important talk, bitchara, if you mercilly consent. Evidently

(02:59):
Lakamas mercy went so far for in a short while
he came out from behind the curtain, but it did
not go to the length of inducing him to make
an extensive toilet. A short red sarong, tightened hastily round
his hips was his only garment. The merciful ruler of
Samvir looked sleepy and rather sulky. He sat in the armchair,

(03:19):
his knees well apart his elbows on the armrest, his
chin on his breast, breathing heavily, and waiting malevolently for
Dane to open the important talk. But Dane did not
seem anxious to begin. He directed his gaze towards Babolachi,
squatting comfortably at the feet of his master, and remained silent,
with a slightly bent head, as if in attentive expectation

(03:41):
of coming words of wisdom. Babolachi coughed discreetly, and leaning forward,
pushed over a few mats for Dane to sit upon. Then,
lifting up his squeaky voice, he assured him with eager
valuability of everyone's delight at this long looked for return.
His heart had hunger for the sight of Dane's face,
and his ears were withering for the want of the

(04:02):
refreshing sound of his voice. Everybody's hearts and ears were
in the same sad predicament, according to Babolachi, as he
indicated with a sweeping gesture, the other bank of the river,
with a settlement, slumbered peacefully, unconscious of the great joy
awaiting it. On the morrow, when Dane's presence amongst them
would be disclosed. For went on Babolachi what is the

(04:24):
joy of a poor man if not the open hand
of a generous traitor or of a great Here he
checked himself abruptly with the calculated embarrassment of manner, and
his roving eyes sought the floor, while an apologetic smile
dwelt for a moment on his misshapen lips. Once or
twice during this opening speech, an amused expression flitted across

(04:45):
Dane's face, soon to give way, however, to an appearance
of grave concern on the convass brow. A heavy frown
had settled, and his lips moved angrily as he listened
to his prime minister's oratory. In the silence that fell
upon the room when Bob Bolacchi sea speaking, arose a
chorus of buried snores from the corner where the bodyguard

(05:05):
had resumed their interrupted slumbers. But the distant rumble of
thunder filling then Nina's heart with apprehension for the safety
of her lover passed unheeded by those three men, intent
each on their own purposes for life or death. After
a short silence, Babolachi, distarting now the flowers of polite eloquence,
spoke again, but in short and hurried sentences, and in

(05:28):
a low voice. They had been very uneasy. Why did
Dane remain so long absent? The men dwelling on the
lower reaches of the river heard the reports of big
guns and saw a fireship of the Dutch amongst the
islands of the estuary. So they were anxious. Rumors of
a disaster had reached Abdullah a few days ago, and

(05:49):
since then they had been waiting for Dane's return, under
the apprehension of some misfortune. For days they had closed
their eyes in fear, and woke up alarmed, and walked
abroad trembling like men before or an enemy, And all
on account of Dane. Would he not allay their fears
for his safety, not for themselves. They were quiet and
faithful and devoted to the Great Rajah in Batavia. May

(06:12):
his fate lead him ever to victory for the joy
and profit of his servants. And here went on Baba
Lachi le Kamba. My master was getting thin in his
anxiety for the trader he had taken under his protection,
and so was Abdullah. For what would wicked men not say? It?
Per chance be silent fool? Growled Lakamba angrily. Baba Lachi

(06:33):
subsided into silence with a satisfied smile, while Dane, who
had been watching him as if fascinated, turned with a
huge sigh of relief towards the ruler of Zambr. The
Kamba did not move, and, without raising his head, looked
at Dane from under his eyebrows, breathing audibly with pouted
lips in an air of general discontent, Speak Odaine, He said,

(06:54):
at last, we have heard many rumors, many nights in succession.
Has my friend Rashid come here with bad tidings? News
travels fast along the coast that they may be untrue.
There are more lies in men's mouth in these days
than when I was young. But I am not easier
to deceive now. All my words are true, said Dane carelessly.

(07:16):
If you want to know what befell my brig then
learn that it is in the hands of the Dutch.
Believe me Raja, he went on with sudden energy. The
orangued Langda have good friends at Zambert or else. How
did they know I was coming? Thence Le Kamba gave
Dane a short and hostile glance. Babolachi rose quietly, and
going to the arm rat struck the gong violently. Outside

(07:40):
the door, there was a shuffle of bare feet inside.
The guard woke up and sat staring in sleepy surprise. Yes, you,
faithful friend of the White Raja, went on dane scornfully,
turning to Babolachi, who had returned to his place. I
have escaped, and I am here to gladden your heart.
When I saw the Dutch ship, I ran the brig
inside the reefs and put her ashore. They did not

(08:02):
dare to follow with the ship, so they sent the boats.
We took to oars and tried to get away, but
the ship dropped fireballs at us and killed many of
my men. But I am left o Baba Lachi. The
Dutch are coming here. They are seeking for me. They
are coming to ask their faithful friend. Li Kamba and
his slave Babolachi rejoice, but neither of his hearers appeared

(08:26):
to be in a joyful mood. Li Kamba had put
one leg over his knee and went on gently scratching
it with the meditative air, while Baba Lachi, sitting cross legged,
seemed suddenly to become smaller and very limp. Staring straight
before him vacantly, The guard event some interest in the proceedings,
stretching themselves full length on the mats to be nearer

(08:46):
the speaker. One of them got up and now stood
leaning against the arm rack, playing absently with the fringes
of his sword hilt. Dane waited till the crash of
thunder had died away in distant mutterings before he spoke again,
Are you dumb o ruler of Sambir, or is the
son of a great raja unworthy of your notice? I
am come here to seek refuge and to warn you,

(09:08):
and want to know what you intend doing. You came
here because of the white man's daughter, retorted La Kamba quickly.
Your refuge was with your father, the Raja of Valley,
the son of Heaven, the Anaka gong himself. What am
I to protect great princes? Only yesterday I planted rice
in a burnt clearing. To day you say, I hold
your life in my hand. Baba Lachi glanced at his master.

(09:32):
No man can escape his fate, he murmured piously. When
love enters a man's heart, he is like a child
without any understanding. Be merciful, Li Kamba, he added, twitching
the corner of the Raja sarong. Warningly, l Kamba snatched
away the skirt of the sarong angrily. Under the dawning
comprehension of intolerable embarrassments caused by Danes return to zambr

(09:55):
he began to lose such composure as he had been
till then able to maintain. And now he raised his
voice loudly above the whistling of the wind and the
patter of the rain on the roof, in the hard
squall passing over the house. You came here first as
a trader, with sweet words and great promises, asking me
to look the other way while you worked your will
on the white man there. And I did, what do

(10:18):
you want now? When I was young, I fought. Now
I am old in one piece. It is easier for
me to have you killed than to fight the Dutch.
It is better for me. The squall had now passed,
and in the short stillness of the lull in the storm,
La Kamba repeated softly, as if to himself, much easier,

(10:39):
much better. Dane did not seem greatly discomposed by the
rajahs threatening words. While La Kamba was speaking, he had
glanced once rapidly over his shoulder, just to make sure
that there was nobody behind him, and tranquilized in that respect,
he had extracted a siri box out of the folds
of his waistcoat and was wrapping carefully. The little bit

(11:01):
of beetle nut and a small pinch of lime in
the green leaf tendered him politen by the watchful Babolachi.
He accepted this as a peace offering from the silent statesman,
a kind of mute protest against his master's undiplomatic violence,
and as an omen of a possible understanding to be
arrived at. Yet otherwise, Dane was not uneasy, although recognizing

(11:23):
the justice of La Kamba's surmised that he had come
back to Sambir only for the sake of the white
man's daughter. Yet he was not conscious of any childish
lack of understanding as suggested by Babolacchi. In fact, Dane
knew very well that Lakamba was too deeply implicated in
the gunpower smuggling to care for an investigation the Dutch

(11:43):
authorities into that matter when sent off by his father,
the independent Rajah Valley. At the time, with the hostilities
between Dutch and Melees threatened to spread from Sumatra. Over
the whole archipalago, Dane had found all the big traders
deaf to his guard of proposals, and above the temptation
of the great prices he was ready to give for gunpowder.

(12:05):
He went to sam Vier as a last and almost
hopeless resort, having heard in Macassa of the white man
there and of the regular steamer trading from Singapore. Allured
also by the fact that there was no Dutch resident
on the river, which would make things easier, no doubt,
his hopes got nearly wrecked against the stubborn loyalty of Lakamba,
arising from well understood self interest. But at last the

(12:28):
young man's generosity, his persuasive enthusiasm, the prestige of his
father's great name, overpowered the prudent hesitation of the ruler
of sam Vir. Lakamba would have nothing to do himself
with any illegal traffic. He also objected to the Arabs
being made use of in that matter, But he suggested Almyer,

(12:49):
saying that he was a weak man, easily persuaded, and
that his friend, the English captain of the steamer, could
be made very useful, very likely even would join in
the business smuggling the powder in the steamer without a
dueless knowledge. There again Dane met in Allmyer with unexpected resistance.
Le Kamba had to send Babolachi over with a solemn

(13:10):
promise that his eyes would be shut in friendship for
the white man, Dagne paying for the promise and the
friendship in good silver guilders of the hated uruand Blanda.
All Meyer, at last conscending, said the powder would be obtained,
but Dane must trust him with dollars to send to Singapore.
In payment for it, he would induce four to buy

(13:31):
and smuggle it in the steamer on board the brig.
He did not want any money for himself out of
the transaction, but Dane must help him in his great enterprise.
After sending off the brig, all Meyer had explained to
Dane that he could not trust La Kamba alone in
that matter. He would be afraid of losing his treasure
and his life through the cupidity of the Rajah. Yet

(13:53):
the Rajah had to be told and insisted on taking
a share in that operation, or else his eyes would
remain shut no longer. To this, Almayer had to submit.
Had they not seen Nina, he would have probably refused
to engage himself and his men in the projected expedition
to gunong Mas the Mountain of Gold. As it was,

(14:13):
he intended to return with half of his men as
soon as the brig was clear of the reefs, But
the persistent chase given him by the Dutch frigate had
forced him to run south and ultimately to wreck and
destroy his vessel in order to preserve his liberty or
perhaps even his life. Yes, he had come back to
Samber from Nina, although aware that the Dutch would look
for him there, But he had also calculated his chances

(14:36):
of safety in Lakamba's hands. For all his ferocious talk,
the merciful ruler would not kill him, for he had
long ago been impressed with the notion that Dane possessed
the secret of the white Man's treasure. Neither would he
give him up to the Dutch for fear of some
fatal disclosure of complicity in the treasonable trade. So Dane
felt tolerably secure as he sat meditating quietly his answer

(15:00):
to the Rajah's bloodthirsty speech. Yes, he would point out
to him the aspect of his position should the dagn
fall into the hands of the Dutch. And should he
speak the truth, he would have nothing more to lose then,
and he would speak the truth. And if he did
return to sam Vir, disturbing thereby le Kamba's peace of mind,
what then he came to look after his property? Did

(15:24):
he not pour a stream of silver into missus allmyer's
greeting lap. He had paid for the girl, a price
worthy of a great prince, although unworthy of that delightfully
maddening creature for whom his untamed soul longed in an
intensity of desire far more tormenting than the sharpest pain.
He wanted his happiness. He had the right to be

(15:44):
in sam Vir. He rose, and, approaching the table, leaned
both his elbows on it. Le Kamba responsibly edged his
seat a little closer, while Babulachi scrambled to his feet
and thrust his inquisitive head between his master's and Danes
the inner chairge their ideas, rapidly, speaking in whispers into
each other's faces very close. Now, Dane suggesting, the Kamba contradicting, Babolachi,

(16:09):
conciliating and anxious in his vivid apprehension of coming difficulties,
he spoke most whispering earnestly, turning his head slowly from
side to side, so as to bring his solitary eye
to bear upon each of his interlocutors in turn. Why
should there be strife? Said he lit Twan Dane, whom
he loved only less than his master, go trustfully into hiding.

(16:31):
There were many places for that. Bolangi's house, away in
the clearing, was best. Blanji was a safe man. In
the network of crooked channels. No white man could find
his way. White men were strong, but very foolish. It
was undesirable to fight them, but deception was easy. They
were like silly women. They did not know the use

(16:52):
of reason, and he was a match for any of them.
Went on Babolachi with all the confidence of deficient experience.
Probably the Dutch would seek Almyer. Maybe they would take
away their countrymen if they were suspicious of him. That
would be good. After the Dutch went away, Lacamba and
Dane would get the treasure without any trouble, and there

(17:12):
would be one person less to share it. Did he
not speak wisdom? Would Twain don go to Balangi's house
till the dangerous over go at Once Dane accepted this
suggestion of going into hiding with a certain sense of
conferring a favor upon Lakamba and the anxious statesman. But
he met the proposal of going at once with a
decided no. Looking Babolachi meaningly in the eye, the statesman

(17:38):
sighed as a man accepting the inevitable would do, and
point it silently towards the other bank of the river.
Dane bent his head slowly. Yes, I am going there,
he said, before the day comes. Asked Babolachi, I am
going there now, answered Dane decisively. The orang blander will
not be here before tomorrow night perhaps, and I must

(17:59):
tell all of our arrangements. No twan no, say nothing,
protested Babolachi. I will go over myself at sunrise and
let him know I will see, said Dane, preparing to go.
The thunder storm was recommencing outside, the heavy clouds hanging
low overhead. Now there was a constant rumble of distant
thunder punctuated by the nearer sharp crashes, and in the

(18:22):
continuous play of blue lightning, the woods and the river
showed fitfully with all the elusive distinctness of detailed characteristic
of such a scene. Outside the door of the Raja's house,
Dane and Babolachi stood on the shaking veranda, as if
dazed and stunned by the violence of the storm. They
stood there amongst the cowering forms of the Rajah, slaves

(18:43):
and retainers, seeking shelter from the rain, and Dane called
aloud to his boatmen, who responded with the unanimous ate
a twan. While they looked uneasily at the river, there
was a great flood, shouted Babolachi into Dane's ear. The
river is very angry. Look look at the drifting logs.
Can you go? Dane glanced doubtfully on the livid expanse

(19:04):
of seething water bounded far away on the other side
by the narrow black line of the forests. Suddenly, in
a vivid white flash, the low point of land with
the bending trees on it in Almeyer's house, leaped into view, flickered,
and disappeared. Dane pushed Babolachi aside and ran down to
the water gate, followed by his shivering boatmen. Babolachi backed

(19:26):
slowly in and closed the door, then turned round and
looked silently upon the Kamba. The Rajah sat still, glaring
stonily upon the table, and Babolachi gazed curiously at the
perplexed mood of the man he had served so many years,
through good and evil fortune. No doubt, the one eyed
statesman felt within his savage and much sophisticated breast the

(19:48):
unwonted feelings of sympathy with and perhaps even pity for
the man he called his master. From the safe position
of a confidential adviser, he could, in the dim vista
of pass years, see himself, a casual cutthroat, finding shelter
under that man's roof. In the modest rice clearing of
early beginnings. Then came a long period of unbroken success

(20:12):
of wise councils and deep plottings, resolutely carried out by
the fearless Lakamba till the whole east coast. Propolo laut
To Tanjong Batu listened to Babilachi's wisdom speaking through the
mouth of the ruler of sambr In those long years,
how many dangers escape, how many enemies bravely faced, how
many white men successfully circumvented. And now he looked upon

(20:34):
the result of so many years of patient toil. The
fearless Likamba, cowed by the shadow of an impending trouble.
The ruler was growing old, and Babolachi, aware of an
uneasy feeling at the pit of his stomach, put both
his hands there with a suddenly vivid and sad perception
of the fact that he himself was growing old too,

(20:55):
that the time of reckless daring was passed for both
of them, and that they had to seek refuge in
prudent cunning. They wanted peace. They were disposed to reform.
They were ready even to retrench so as to have
the wherewithal to bribe the evil days away. If bribed away,
they could be. Babolachi sighed for the second time that

(21:16):
night as he squatted again at his master's feet and
tendered him his beetlenut box in mute sympathy. And they
sat there in close yet silent communion of beetlenut chewers,
moving their jaws slowly, expectorating decorously into the wide mouthed
brass vessel, lay passed to one another and listening to
the awful din of the battling elements outside. There is

(21:37):
a very great flood, remarked Babulachi. Sadly, yes, said Lakamba,
did Dane go? He went twan he ran down to
the river like a man possessed of the sheet and himself.
There was another long pause. He may get drowned, suggested
l Coamba, at last, with some show of interest. The
floating laws are many, answered Babolachi. But he is a

(21:58):
good swimmer. He had a languidly. He ought to live,
said le Kamba. He knows where the treasure is. Babolachi
ascended with an ill hubored grunt. His want of success
in penetrating the white man's secret as to the locality
where the goal was to be found was a sore
point with the statesman of Sambert as the only conspicuous

(22:19):
failure in an otherwise brilliant career. A great peace had
now succeeded the turmoil of the storm. Only the little
belated clouds, which hurried past overhead to catch up the
main body, flashing silently in the distance, sent down short
showers that pattered softly with a soothing hiss over the
palm leaf roof the Kamba roused himself from his apathy

(22:40):
with an appearance of having grasped the situation. At last, Babolachi,
he called, briskly, giving him a slight kick at Atwan,
I am listening. If the orang bland to come here
Babolachi and take Almyre to Batavia to punish him for
smuggling gunpowder, what will he do? You think I do
not know twan you are a fool. Comet at Likamba exultingly.

(23:02):
He will tell them where the treasure is, so as
to find mercy he will. Babolachi looked up at his
master and nodded his head with by no means a
joyful surprise. He had not thought of this. There was
a new complication. All Meyer must die, said Lakamba, decisively.
To make our secret safe, he must die quietly. Babulachi,

(23:24):
you must do it. Babolachi ascended and rose wearily to
his feet. Tomorrow, he asked, Yes, before the Dutch come,
he drinks much coffee, answered Lekamba, with seeming irrelevancy. Babolachi
stretched himself yawning. But li Kamba, in the flattering consciousness
of a knotty problem solved by his own unaided intellectual efforts,

(23:45):
grew suddenly very wakeful. Babolachi, he said to the exhausted statesman,
fetch the box of music the White captain gave me.
I cannot sleep At this order, a deep shade of
melancholy settled upon Babolacchi's features. He went reluctantly behind the
curtain and soon reappeared, carrying in his arms a small
hand organ, which he put down on the table with

(24:07):
an air of deep dejection. Likamba settled himself comfortably in
his arm chair. Turn Babolachi turn, he murmured with closed eyes.
Babolachi's hand grasped the handle with the energy of despair,
and as he turned, the deep bloom on his countenance
changed into an expression of hopeless resignation. Through the open shutter,

(24:28):
the notes of Verdi's music floated out on the great
silence over the river and forest. Likamba listened with closed
eyes and a delighted smile. Babolacchi turned, at times dozing
off and swaying over, then catching himself up in a
great fright with a few quick turns of the handle.
Nature slept in an exhausted repose after the fierce turmoil,

(24:50):
while under the unsteady hand of the Statesman of Sambrt,
the travelatory fitfully wept, wailed, and bade good bye to
his Leonore again and again in the mournful round of
cheerful and endless iteration. End of Chapter six recording by
Tom Weist, Tom's audiobooks dot com.