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AMY FOSTER
by Joseph Conrad
Kennedy is a country doctor； and lives in Cole…
brook； on the shores of Eastbay。 The high
ground rising abruptly behind the red roofs of the
little town crowds the quaint High Street against
the wall which defends it from the sea。 Beyond
the sea…wall there curves for miles in a vast and
regular sweep the barren beach of shingle； with the
village of Brenzett standing out darkly across the
water； a spire in a clump of trees； and still further
out the perpendicular column of a lighthouse； look…
ing in the distance no bigger than a lead pencil；
marks the vanishing…point of the land。 The coun…
try at the back of Brenzett is low and flat； but the
bay is fairly well sheltered from the seas； and occa…
sionally a big ship； windbound or through stress
of weather； makes use of the anchoring ground a
mile and a half due north from you as you stand
at the back door of the 〃Ship Inn〃 in Brenzett。
A dilapidated windmill near by lifting its shattered
arms from a mound no loftier than a rubbish heap；
and a Martello tower squatting at the water's edge
half a mile to the south of the Coastguard cottages；
are familiar to the skippers of small craft。 These
are the official seamarks for the patch of trust…
worthy bottom represented on the Admiralty charts
by an irregular oval of dots enclosing several fig…
ures six； with a tiny anchor engraved among them；
and the legend 〃mud and shells〃 over all。
The brow of the upland overtops the square
tower of the Colebrook Church。 The slope is
green and looped by a white road。 Ascending
along this road； you open a valley broad and shal…
low； a wide green trough of pastures and hedges
merging inland into a vista of purple tints and
flowing lines closing the view。
In this valley down to Brenzett and Colebrook
and up to Darnford； the market town fourteen
miles away； lies the practice of my friend Kennedy。
He had begun life as surgeon in the Navy； and
afterwards had been the companion of a famous
traveller； in the days when there were continents
with unexplored interiors。 His papers on the
fauna and flora made him known to scientific socie…
ties。 And now he had come to a country practice
from choice。 The penetrating power of his
mind； acting like a corrosive fluid； had destroyed
his ambition； I fancy。 His intelligence is of a
scientific order； of an investigating habit； and of
that unappeasable curiosity which believes that
there is a particle of a general truth in every mys…
tery。
A good many years ago now； on my return from
abroad； he invited me to stay with him。 I came
readily enough； and as he could not neglect his
patients to keep me company； he took me on his
roundsthirty miles or so of an afternoon； some…
times。 I waited for him on the roads； the horse
reached after the leafy twigs； and； sitting in
the dogcart； I could hear Kennedy's laugh through
the half…open door left open of some cottage。 He
had a big； hearty laugh that would have fitted a
man twice his size； a brisk manner； a bronzed face；
and a pair of grey； profoundly attentive eyes。 He
had the talent of making people talk to him freely；
and an inexhaustible patience in listening to their
tales。
One day； as we trotted out of a large village into
a shady bit of road； I saw on our left hand a low；
black cottage； with diamond panes in the windows；
a creeper on the end wall； a roof of shingle； and
some roses climbing on the rickety trellis…work of
the tiny porch。 Kennedy pulled up to a walk。 A
woman； in full sunlight； was throwing a dripping
blanket over a line stretched between two old ap…
ple…trees。 And as the bobtailed； long…necked chest…
nut； trying to get his head； jerked the left hand；
covered by a thick dogskin glove； the doctor raised
his voice over the hedge： 〃How's your child；
Amy？〃
I had the time to see her dull face； red； not with
a mantling blush； but as if her flat cheeks had been
vigorously slapped； and to take in the squat figure；
the scanty； dusty brown hair drawn into a tight
knot at the back of the head。 She looked quite
young。 With a distinct catch in her breath； her
voice sounded low and timid。
〃He's well； thank you。〃
We trotted again。 〃A young patient of
yours；〃 I said； and the doctor； flicking the chest…
nut absently； muttered； 〃Her husband used to be。〃
〃She seems a dull creature；〃 I remarked list…
lessly。
〃Precisely；〃 said Kennedy。 〃She is very pas…
sive。 It's enough to look at the red hands hanging
at the end of those short arms； at those slow； prom…
inent brown eyes； to know the inertness of her mind
an inertness that one would think made it ever…
lastingly safe from all the surprises of imagina…
tion。 And yet which of us is safe？ At any rate；
such as you see her； she had enough imagination
to fall in love。 She's the daughter of one Isaac
Foster； who from a small farmer has sunk into a
shepherd； the beginning of his misfortunes dating
from his runaway marriage with the cook of his
widowed fathera well…to…do； apoplectic grazier；
who passionately struck his name off his will； and
had been heard to utter threats against his life。
But this old affair； scandalous enough to serve as
a motive for a Greek tragedy； arose from the simi…
larity of their characters。 There are other trage…
dies； less scandalous and of a subtler poignancy；
arising from irreconcilable differences and from
that fear of the Incomprehensible that hangs over
all our headsover all our heads。 。 。 。〃
The tired chestnut dropped into a walk； and the
rim of the sun； all red in a speckless sky； touched
familiarly the smooth top of a ploughed rise near
the road as I had seen it times innumerable touch
the distant horizon of the sea。 The uniform
brownness of the harrowed field glowed with a rosy
tinge； as though the powdered clods had sweated
out in minute pearls of blood the toil of uncounted
ploughmen。 From the edge of a copse a waggon
with two horses was rolling gently along the ridge。
Raised above our heads upon the sky…line； it loomed
up against the red sun； triumphantly big； enor…
mous； like a chariot of giants drawn by two slow…
stepping steeds of legendary proportions。 And
the clumsy figure of the man plodding at the head
of the leading horse projected itself on the back…
ground of the Infinite with a heroic uncouthness。
The end of his carter's whip quivered high up in
the blue。 Kennedy discoursed。
〃She's the eldest of a large family。 At the age
of fifteen they put her out to service at the New
Barns Farm。 I attended Mrs。 Smith； the tenant's
wife； and saw that girl there for the first time。
Mrs。 Smith； a genteel person with a sharp nose；
made her put on a black dress every afternoon。 I
don't know what induced me to notice her at all。
There are faces that call your attention by a cu…
rious want of definiteness in their whole aspect； as；
walking in a mist； you peer attentively at a vague
shape which； after all； may be nothing more cu…
rious or strange than a signpost。 The only pecu…
liarity I perceived in her was a slight hesitation in
her utterance； a sort of preliminary stammer which
passes away with the first word。 When sharply
spoken to； she was apt to lose her head at once； but
her heart was of the kindest。 She had never been
heard to express a dislike for a single human being；
and she was tender to every living creature。 She
was devoted to Mrs。 Smith； to Mr。 Smith； to their
dogs； cats； canaries； and as to Mrs。 Smith's grey
parrot； its peculiarities exercised upon her a posi…
tive fascination。 Nevertheless； when that outland…
ish bird； attacked by the cat； shrieked for help in
human accents； she ran out into the yard stopping
her ears； and did not prevent the crime。 For Mrs。
Smith this was another evidence of her stupidity；
on the other hand； her want of charm； in view of
Smith's well…known frivolousness； was a great rec…
commendation。 Her short…sighted eyes would swim
with pity for a poor mouse in a trap； and she had
been seen once by some boys on her knees in the wet
grass helping a toad in difficulties。 If
