--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...it was only after a long silence, when…" description: "\"“...it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, \"I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg" --- # ...it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a… ![“...it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, "I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit," that we knew we were fated, before the ebb began to run, to hear about one of Marlow's inconclusive experiences.” quote by Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg) > ““...it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, "I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit," that we knew we were fated, before the ebb began to run, to hear about one of Marlow's inconclusive experiences.”” [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator reflects on a moment of shared fate revealed through a hesitant confession, signaling an inevitable decline. **In simple terms:** A hesitant confession reveals shared destiny and impending decline. Key Takeaway Recognize how small admissions can foreshadow larger outcomes. Themes fate decline communication memory reflection Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - group dynamics - personal realization - literary analysis - psychological insight Key Concepts existentialism narrative foreshadowing human connection Questions to Reflect On - What small admissions have signaled larger changes for you? - How does shared memory shape group destiny? A Different Perspective The quote assumes a universal sense of fate that may not apply to all contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Long silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-silence/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm sorry, An," I said, hesitating before I spoke again. "Why did you think I turned Shay? I mean besides smelling the other wolf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/i-m-sorry-an-i-said-hesitating-before-i-spoke-again-why-did-you-think/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [The mystics always say that the experience they're talking about is ineffable, that you can't say it. Rumi was asked one time why he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleman-barks/the-mystics-always-say-that-the-experience-they-re-talking-about-is/) [Coleman Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleman-barks/) > [“Have I interrupted a conversation?' she asked. 'No, only a complete silence,' said Birkin. 'Oh,' said Ursula, vaguely, absent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/have-i-interrupted-a-conversation-she-asked-no-only-a-complete/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [Do not speak unless you can improve on silence, said a Buddhist sage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ward/do-not-speak-unless-you-can-improve-on-silence-said-a-buddhist-sage/) [Tim Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ward/) > [“There was silence. At last she said, „Lazarus, I don’t want to die. But what is the purpose of our long lives? We don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-heinlein/there-was-silence-at-last-she-said-lazarus-i-don-t-want-to-die-but/) [Robert Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-heinlein/) > [“At last, his voice ringing out over the silence, he said, “You are no son of mine.” Then he turned and walked away, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/at-last-his-voice-ringing-out-over-the-silence-he-said-you-are-no-son/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [Silence is said to be golden, but the best fools the world has ever produced had nothing to say on the subject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/silence-is-said-to-be-golden-but-the-best-fools-the-world-has-ever/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [I want to write a novel about Silence," he said; “the things people don’t say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/i-want-to-write-a-novel-about-silence-he-said-the-things-people-don-t/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [When the voices of democracy are silenced, freedom becomes a hollow concept. No man or woman should be sentenced to the shadows of silence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-neuharth/when-the-voices-of-democracy-are-silenced-freedom-becomes-a-hollow/) [Al Neuharth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-neuharth/) > [“When you maintain silence, you would have said to have understood the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-you-maintain-silence-you-would-have-said-to-have-understood-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“How quiet it is,' Danny said, digging in his knapsack for the canteen full of water he had brought. 'You don’t realize how scary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-williams/how-quiet-it-is-danny-said-digging-in-his-knapsack-for-the-canteen/) [Jay Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-williams/) > [“An emotion clamped down on her heart. It squeezed her into a terrible silence. But he said nothing after that, only her name, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/an-emotion-clamped-down-on-her-heart-it-squeezed-her-into-a-terrible/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [“It is less distracting in the silence,” she said. “Sustained silence allows one truly to listen to what is deep inside. We call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/it-is-less-distracting-in-the-silence-she-said-sustained-silence/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [It was one of those problematic occasions with long silences, sporadic coughs, and people saying isolated things like, "Well, isn't this nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-one-of-those-problematic-occasions-with-long-silences-sporadic/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [After a long silence, Dodge cleared his throat. "I think I speak for all of us when I say, 'Huh?'" -Dodge(obviously)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-beddor/after-a-long-silence-dodge-cleared-his-throat-i-think-i-speak-for-all/) [Frank Beddor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-beddor/) ## More by Joseph Conrad > [“Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame, they all had gone out on that stream, bearing the sword, and often the torch, messengers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/hunters-for-gold-or-pursuers-of-fame-they-all-had-gone-out-on-that/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Let the earth and the sea each have its own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/let-the-earth-and-the-sea-each-have-its-own/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [He hated all this, and somehow he couldn't get away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/he-hated-all-this-and-somehow-he-couldn-t-get-away/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“A fool, what with sheer fright and fine sentiments, is always safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-fool-what-with-sheer-fright-and-fine-sentiments-is-always-safe/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Few men realize that their life, the very essence of their character, their capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/few-men-realize-that-their-life-the-very-essence-of-their-character/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Perhaps on some quiet night the tremor of far-off drums, sinking, swelling, a tremor vast, faint; a sound weird, appealing, suggestive and wild -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/perhaps-on-some-quiet-night-the-tremor-of-far-off-drums-sinking/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“All that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/all-that-mysterious-life-of-the-wilderness-that-stirs-in-the-forest/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The fascination of the abomination—you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-fascination-of-the-abomination-you-know/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-s-only-those-who-do-nothing-that-make-no-mistakes-i-suppose/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Thieving was not a sheer absurdity. It was a form of human industry, perverse indeed, but still an industry exercised in an industrious world;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/thieving-was-not-a-sheer-absurdity-it-was-a-form-of-human-industry/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I found myself back in the sepulchral city resenting the sight of people hurrying through the streets to filch a little money from each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/i-found-myself-back-in-the-sepulchral-city-resenting-the-sight-of/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Society was calling to its accomplished child to come, to be taken care of, to be instructed, to be judged, to be condemned; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/society-was-calling-to-its-accomplished-child-to-come-to-be-taken/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I was constantly watching myself, my secret self, as dependent on my actions as my own personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/i-was-constantly-watching-myself-my-secret-self-as-dependent-on-my/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Explore all 645 Joseph Conrad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## More Long silence quotes > [After a long silence, Dodge cleared his throat. 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Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [“When Zev still didn’t say anything, Toby visibly stiffened, seemingly steeling his courage, and then continued speaking. “Is something going on with Jonah?” “We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardeno-c/when-zev-still-didn-t-say-anything-toby-visibly-stiffened-seemingly/) [Cardeno C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardeno-c/) [Browse all 95 Long silence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-silence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, \"I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit,\" that we knew we were fated, before the ebb began to run, to hear about one of Marlow's inconclusive experiences.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Conrad" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he-said-in-a-hesitating-voice-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Long silence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he-said-in-a-hesitating-voice-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/676/joseph-conrad-336_long-silence_it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he_1330682.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, \"I suppose you fellows remember I…” — Joseph Conrad", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph Conrad", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“...it was only after a long...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he-said-in-a-hesitating-voice-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-was-only-after-a-long-silence-when-he-said-in-a-hesitating-voice-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```