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To…morrow
by Joseph Conrad
What was known of Captain Hagberd in the little
seaport of Colebrook was not exactly in his favour。
He did not belong to the place。 He had come to
settle there under circumstances not at all myste…
rioushe used to be very communicative about
them at the timebut extremely morbid and un…
reasonable。 He was possessed of some little money
evidently； because he bought a plot of ground； and
had a pair of ugly yellow brick cottages run up
very cheaply。 He occupied one of them himself
and let the other to Josiah Carvilblind Carvil；
the retired boat…buildera man of evil repute as a
domestic tyrant。
These cottages had one wall in common； shared
in a line of iron railing dividing their front gar…
dens； a wooden fence separated their back gardens。
Miss Bessie Carvil was allowed； as it were of right；
to throw over it the tea…cloths； blue rags； or an
apron that wanted drying。
〃It rots the wood； Bessie my girl；〃 the captain
would remark mildly； from his side of the fence；
each time he saw her exercising that privilege。
She was a tall girl； the fence was low； and
she could spread her elbows on the top。 Her hands
would be red with the bit of washing she had done；
but her forearms were white and shapely； and she
would look at her father's landlord in silencein
an informed silence which had an air of knowledge；
expectation and desire。
〃It rots the wood；〃 repeated Captain Hagberd。
〃It is the only unthrifty； careless habit I know in
you。 Why don't you have a clothes line out in your
back yard？〃
Miss Carvil would say nothing to thisshe only
shook her head negatively。 The tiny back yard
on her side had a few stone…bordered little beds of
black earth； in which the simple flowers she found
time to cultivate appeared somehow extravagantly
overgrown； as if belonging to an exotic clime； and
Captain Hagberd's upright； hale person； clad in
No。 1 sail…cloth from head to foot； would be emer…
ging knee…deep out of rank grass and the tall weeks
on his side of the fence。 He appeared； with the col…
our and uncouth stiffness of the extraordinary ma…
terial in which he chose to clothe himself〃for the
time being；〃 would be his mumbled remark to any
observation on the subjectlike a man roughened
out of granite； standing in a wilderness not big
enough for a decent billiard…room。 A heavy figure
of a man of stone； with a red handsome face； a blue
wandering eye； and a great white beard flowing
to his waist and never trimmed as far as Colebrook
knew。
Seven years before； he had seriously answered；
〃Next month； I think；〃 to the chaffing attempt to
secure his custom made by that distinguished local
wit； the Colebrook barber； who happened to be sit…
ting insolently in the tap…room of the New Inn near
the harbour； where the captain had entered to buy
an ounce of tobacco。 After paying for his pur…
chase with three half…pence extracted from the cor…
ner of a handkerchief which he carried in the cuff
of his sleeve； Captain Hagberd went out。 As soon
as the door was shut the barber laughed。 〃The
old one and the young one will be strolling arm in
arm to get shaved in my place presently。 The
tailor shall be set to work； and the barber； and the
candlestick maker； high old times are coming for
Colebrook； they are coming； to be sure。 It used to
be 'next week；' now it has come to 'next month；'
and so onsoon it will be next spring； for all I
know。〃
Noticing a stranger listening to him with a va…
cant grin； he explained； stretching out his legs cyn…
ically； that this queer old Hagberd； a retired coast…
ing…skipper； was waiting for the return of a son of
his。 The boy had been driven away from home； he
shouldn't wonder； had run away to sea and had
never been heard of since。 Put to rest in Davy
Jones's locker this many a day； as likely as not。
That old man came flying to Colebrook three
years ago all in black broadcloth （had lost his wife
lately then）； getting out of a third…class smoker
as if the devil had been at his heels； and the only
thing that brought him down was a lettera hoax
probably。 Some joker had written to him about a
seafaring man with some such name who was sup…
posed to be hanging about some girl or other； either
in Colebrook or in the neighbourhood。 〃Funny；
ain't it？〃 The old chap had been advertising in
the London papers for Harry Hagberd； and offer…
ing rewards for any sort of likely information。
And the barber would go on to describe with sar…
donic gusto； how that stranger in mourning had
been seen exploring the country； in carts； on foot；
taking everybody into his confidence； visiting all
the inns and alehouses for miles around； stopping
people on the road with his questions； looking into
the very ditches almost； first in the greatest excite…
ment； then with a plodding sort of perseverance；
growing slower and slower； and he could not even
tell you plainly how his son looked。 The sailor
was supposed to be one of two that had left a tim…
ber ship； and to have been seen dangling after some
girl； but the old man described a boy of fourteen
or so〃a clever…looking； high…spirited boy。〃 And
when people only smiled at this he would rub his
forehead in a confused sort of way before he slunk
off； looking offended。 He found nobody； of
course； not a trace of anybodynever heard of
anything worth belief； at any rate； but he had not
been able somehow to tear himself away from Cole…
brook。
〃It was the shock of this disappointment； per…
haps； coming soon after the loss of his wife； that
had driven him crazy on that point；〃 the barber
suggested； with an air of great psychological in…
sight。 After a time the old man abandoned the ac…
tive search。 His son had evidently gone away；
but he settled himself to wait。 His son had been
once at least in Colebrook in preference to his na…
tive place。 There must have been some reason for
it； he seemed to think； some very powerful induce…
ment； that would bring him back to Colebrook
again。
〃Ha； ha； ha！ Why； of course； Colebrook。
Where else？ That's the only place in the United
Kingdom for your long…lost sons。 So he sold up
his old home in Colchester； and down he comes here。
Well； it's a craze； like any other。 Wouldn't catch
me going crazy over any of my youngsters clear…
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