Лорд Джим

Chapter 26

           Anewgrowthofgrassandbusheswasspringingup;thereweretracesofanearthworkunderamassofthornytwigs.“Itallstartedfromhere,”hesaid,afteralongandmeditativesilence.Ontheotherhill,twohundredyardsacrossasombreprecipice,Isawalineofhighblackenedstakes,showinghereandthereruinouslytheremnantsofSherifAli’simpregnablecamp.

           ‘Butithadbeentaken,though.Thathadbeenhisidea.HehadmountedDoramin’soldordnanceonthetopofthathill;tworustyiron7-pounders,alotofsmallbrasscannoncurrencycannon.Butifthebrassgunsrepresentwealth,theycanalso,whencrammedrecklesslytothemuzzle,sendasolidshottosomelittledistance.Thethingwastogetthemupthere.Heshowedmewherehehadfastenedthecables,explainedhowhehadimprovisedarudecapstanoutofahollowedlogturninguponapointedstake,indicatedwiththebowlofhispipetheoutlineoftheearthwork.Thelasthundredfeetoftheascenthadbeenthemostdifficult.Hehadmadehimselfresponsibleforsuccessonhisownhead.Hehadinducedthewarpartytoworkhardallnight.Bigfireslightedatintervalsblazedalldowntheslope,“butuphere,”heexplained,“thehoistingganghadtoflyaroundinthedark.”Fromthetophesawmenmovingonthehillsidelikeantsatwork.Hehimselfonthatnighthadkeptonrushingdownandclimbinguplikeasquirrel,directing,encouraging,watchingallalongtheline.OldDoraminhadhimselfcarriedupthehillinhisarm-chair.

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