VictoryAxel Heyst, a dreamer and a restless drifter, believes he can avoid suffering by cutting himself off from others. Then he becomes involved in the operation of a coal company on a remote island in the Malay Archipelago, and when it fails he turns his back on humanity once more. But his life alters when he rescues a young English girl, Lena, from Zangiacomo's Ladies' Orchestra and the evil innkeeper Schomberg, taking her to his island retreat. The affair between Heyst and Lena begins with her release, but the relationship shifts as Lena struggles to save Heyst from the detachment and isolation that have inhibited and influenced his life. Marked by a violent and tragic conclusion, Victory is both a tale of rescue and adventure and a perceptive study of a complex relationship and of the power of love. |
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Page xiv
... sight of the low , pestilential , mangrove - lined coast of our destination . The excellent Father Superior men- tioned to me with an air of immense commiseration . " The poor man has left a young daughter . " Who was to look after her ...
... sight of the low , pestilential , mangrove - lined coast of our destination . The excellent Father Superior men- tioned to me with an air of immense commiseration . " The poor man has left a young daughter . " Who was to look after her ...
Page xvi
... sight I naturally ( being idle ) continued to look at the girl through all the second part of the programme . The shape of her dark head inclined over the violir was fascinating , and , while resting between the pieces XVi AUTHOR'S NOTE.
... sight I naturally ( being idle ) continued to look at the girl through all the second part of the programme . The shape of her dark head inclined over the violir was fascinating , and , while resting between the pieces XVi AUTHOR'S NOTE.
Page 13
... sight was shocking to Heyst ; but he let nothing of it appear in his bearing , concealing his impression under that consummate good - society manner of his . Polite attention , what's due from one gentleman listen- ing to another , was ...
... sight was shocking to Heyst ; but he let nothing of it appear in his bearing , concealing his impression under that consummate good - society manner of his . Polite attention , what's due from one gentleman listen- ing to another , was ...
Page 25
... sight in his attempts to break away from the enchantment of " these isles , " either in the direction of New Guinea or in the direction of Saigon- to cannibals or to cafés . The enchanted Heyst ! Had be at last broken the spell ? Had he ...
... sight in his attempts to break away from the enchantment of " these isles , " either in the direction of New Guinea or in the direction of Saigon- to cannibals or to cafés . The enchanted Heyst ! Had be at last broken the spell ? Had he ...
Page 31
... sight of his kind was not invincibly odious to him . We must believe this , since for some reason or other he did come out from his retreat for a while . Perhaps it was only to see whether there were any letters for him at the Tesmans ...
... sight of his kind was not invincibly odious to him . We must believe this , since for some reason or other he did come out from his retreat for a while . Perhaps it was only to see whether there were any letters for him at the Tesmans ...
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Common terms and phrases
ain't Alfuro arms asked believe boat breath brig bungalow chair cheroot chimæras Chinaman clairvoyance course dark Davidson door doorway eyes face faint feeling fellow felt frightened gaze gentleman gharry girl glance gleam gone governor gunwale hand hanging head heard Heyst hotel-keeper island Java Sea jetty Jones knew Lena light lips looked Malay Martin matter mean mind Morrison moustaches moved movement murmured mysterious never night Number once paused Pedro perhaps physiognomy quiet Ricardo round Samburan sarong sauceboat Schom Schomberg schooner seemed shadow shoulders side sight silence smile sort sound Sourabaya speak staring stood strange suddenly surprised Swede table d'hôte talk tell Tesmans There's thing thought tion told tone Tropical Belt Coal trouble turned understand verandah voice walked Wang watched wharf What's whispered woman wonder words Zangiacomo