"The Secret Sharer," one of Polish-born Conrad's more widely read sea stories, is a psychological tale narrated by a young ship captain who finds himself harboring a fugitive from another ship. As the story opens, the narrator has just taken command of his first ship, which is anchored in the Gulf of Slam. The captain reveals the extent of his insecurity at the beginning of this long voyage, comparing himself to the ship itself: "we seemed to be measuring our fitness for a long and arduous enterprise, the appointed task of both our existences to be carried out" Recognizing that tins journey will be the opportunity he needs to test himself, he assumes an uneasy command of a considerably older and more experienced crew.

Much to the astonishment of his crew, the captain decides to take a five-hour watch himself the first night while they remain...