devilry in his heart, and I could not but believe that some day
or other there might be virtue in that knowledge.

The second engineer and I had made friends, so I got him
to consult the purser's list for the name of my acquaintance.
He was down as the Rev. John Laputa, and his destination
was Durban.
The next day being Sunday, who should appear to address
us steerage passengers but the black minister. He was introduced
by the captain himself, a notably pious man, who spoke
of the labours of his brother in the dark places of heathendom.
Some of us were hurt in our pride in being made the target of
a black man's oratory. Especially Mr Henriques, whose skin
spoke of the tar-brush, protested with oaths against the insult.
Finally he sat down on a coil of rope, and spat scornfully in
the vicinity of the preacher.

For myself I was intensely curious, and not a little
impressed. The man's face was as commanding as his figure,
and his voice was the most wonderful thing that ever came out
of human mouth. It was full and rich, and gentle, with the
tones of a great organ. He had none of the squat and
preposterous negro lineaments, but a hawk nose like an Arab,
dark flashing eyes, and a cruel and resolute mouth. He was
black as my hat, but for the rest he might have sat for a figure
of a Crusader. I do not know what the sermon was about,
though others told me that it was excellent. All the time I
watched him, and kept saying to myself, 'You hunted me up
the Dyve Burn, but I bashed your face for you.' Indeed, I
thought I could see faint scars on his cheek.