He had almost forgotten why he was there, and dreamily he could see all his past life on the smooth and boundless surface that glittered before his eyes.
Dain's hand laid on Almayer's shoulder recalled him with a start from some country very far away indeed.

He turned round, but his eyes seemed to look rather at the place where Dain stood than at the man himself.
Dain felt uneasy under the unconscious gaze.
"What ?" said Almayer.
"She is crying," murmured Dain, softly.
"She is crying! Why ?" asked Almayer, indifferently.
"I came to ask you.

My Ranee smiles when looking at the man she loves.
It is the white woman that is crying now.

You would know." Almayer shrugged his shoulders and turned away again towards the sea.
"Go, Tuan Putih," urged Dain.

"Go to her; her tears are more terrible to me than the anger of gods." "Are they?
You will see them more than once.