Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 19
Bymid-afternoonadangerousseawasrunning.Weshouldhaveroundedtheboatto,hadoursituationnotbeensodesperate,andletherdriftbow-ontoasea-anchorextemporizedofourmastandsail.Hadwebroachedinthosegreat,over-toppingseas,theboatwouldhavebeenrolledoverandover.
Timeandagain,thatafternoon,ArnoldBentham,foroursakes,beggedthatwecometoasea-anchor.Heknewthatwecontinuedtorunonlyinthehopethatthedecreeofthelotsmightnothavetobecarriedout.Hewasanobleman.SowasCaptainNichollnoble,whosefrostyeyeshadwizenedtopointsofsteel.AndinsuchnoblecompanyhowcouldIbelessnoble?IthankedGodrepeatedly,throughthatlongafternoonofperil,fortheprivilegeofhavingknowntwosuchmen.Godandtherightdweltinthemandnomatterwhatmypoorfatemightbe,Icouldbutfeelwellrecompensedbysuchcompanionship.LikethemIdidnotwanttodie,yetwasunafraidtodie.Thequick,earlydoubtIhadhadofthesetwomenwaslongsincedissipated.Hardtheschool,andhardthemen,buttheywerenoblemen,God’sownmen.
Isawitfirst.ArnoldBentham,hisowndeathaccepted,andCaptainNicholl,wellnighacceptingdeath,layrollinglikeloose-bodieddeadmenintheboat’sbottom,andIwassteeringwhenIsawit.Theboat,foamingandsurgingwiththeswiftnessofwindinitssail,wasupliftedonacrest,when,closebeforeme,Isawthesea-batteredisletofrock.
