Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
Out to Sea
Heknew,oratleastheused,buttwoargumentsinhisdealingswiththem—abelayingpinandarevolver—norisitlikelythatthemotleyaggregationhesignedwouldhaveunderstoodaughtelse.
SoitwasthatfromtheseconddayoutfromFreetownJohnClaytonandhisyoungwifewitnessedscenesuponthedeckoftheFuwaldasuchastheyhadbelievedwereneverenactedoutsidethecoversofprintedstoriesofthesea.
Itwasonthemorningoftheseconddaythatthefirstlinkwasforgedinwhatwasdestinedtoformachainofcircumstancesendinginalifeforonethenunbornsuchashasneverbeenparalleledinthehistoryofman.
TwosailorswerewashingdownthedecksoftheFuwalda,thefirstmatewasonduty,andthecaptainhadstoppedtospeakwithJohnClaytonandLadyAlice.
Themenwereworkingbackwardstowardthelittlepartywhowerefacingawayfromthesailors.Closerandclosertheycame,untiloneofthemwasdirectlybehindthecaptain.Inanothermomenthewouldhavepassedbyandthisstrangenarrativewouldneverhavebeenrecorded.
ButjustthatinstanttheofficerturnedtoleaveLordandLadyGreystoke,and,ashedidso,trippedagainstthesailorandsprawledheadlonguponthedeck,overturningthewater-pailsothathewasdrenchedinitsdirtycontents.
Foraninstantthescenewasludicrous;butonlyforaninstant.
