- Time for yet another interruption: Marlow breaks in to ask if anyone in his audience has heard of Patusan. No, but we're sure you're about to enlighten us, Marlow. And indeed he is.
- This Stein guy has a trading post on Patusan, and he suggests sending Jim there to run it. Apparently the guy who is currently running the post, Cornelius, is a bit of a loser. He's not up to snuff. In fact, Stein only gave Cornelius the job as a favor to Cornelius's wife, whom Stein admired.
- But the wife is now dead, and Stein thinks Jim would do a better job than the guy he's stuck with.
- This idea prompts Marlow to ponder his relationship with Jim and the idea of home.
- Marlow takes this opportunity to jump ahead in time to assure us that Jim was successful on Patusan. As it turns out, he's nearing the end of Jim's story. But Marlow, we still have twenty-four chapters to go...