Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 19
Butwiththemorningofthetwenty-eighthweknewthetimewascome.Thelongboatrolleddrearilyonanempty,windlesssea,andthestagnant,overcastskygavenopromiseofanybreeze.Icutthreepiecesofcloth,allofasize,frommyjacket.Intheravelofoneofthesepieceswasabitofbrownthread.Whoeverdrewthislost.Ithenputthethreelotsintomyhat,coveringitwithCaptainNicholl’shat.
Allwasready,butwedelayedforatimewhileeachprayedsilentlyandlong,forweknewthatwewereleavingthedecisiontoGod.Iwasnotunawareofmyownhonestyandworth;butIwasequallyawareofthehonestyandworthofmycompanions,sothatitperplexedmehowGodcoulddecidesofine-balancedanddelicateamatter.
Thecaptain,aswashisrightanddue,drewfirst.Afterhishandwasinthehathedelayedforsometimewithclosedeyes,hislipsmovingalastprayer.Andhedrewablank.Thiswasright—atruedecisionIcouldnotbutadmittomyself;forCaptainNicholl’slifewaslargelyknowntomeandIknewhimtobehonest,upright,andGod-fearing.
Remainedthesurgeonandme.Itwasoneortheother,and,accordingtoship’srating,itwashisduetodrawnext.Againweprayed.AsIprayedIstrovetoquestbackinmylifeandcastahurriedtally-sheetofmyownworthandunworth.
