Тайный сообщник
II
Allatoncemystrained,yearningstaredistinguishedawhiteobjectfloatingwithinayardoftheship’sside.Whiteontheblackwater.Aphosphorescentflashpassedunderit.Whatwasthatthing?...Irecognizedmyownfloppyhat.Itmusthavefallenoffhishead...andhedidn’tbother.NowIhadwhatIwanted—thesavingmarkformyeyes.ButIhardlythoughtofmyotherself,nowgonefromtheship,tobehiddenforeverfromallfriendlyfaces,tobeafugitiveandavagabondontheearth,withnobrandofthecurseonhissaneforeheadtostayaslayinghand...tooproudtoexplain.
AndIwatchedthehat—theexpressionofmysuddenpityforhismereflesh.Ithadbeenmeanttosavehishomelessheadfromthedangersofthesun.Andnow—behold—itwassavingtheship,byservingmeforamarktohelpouttheignoranceofmystrangeness.Ha!Itwasdriftingforward,warningmejustintimethattheshiphadgatheredsternaway.
“Shiftthehelm,”Isaidinalowvoicetotheseamanstandingstilllikeastatue.
Theman’seyesglistenedwildlyinthebinnaclelightashejumpedroundtotheothersideandspunroundthewheel.
Iwalkedtothebreakofthepoop.Ontheover-shadoweddeckallhandsstoodbytheforebraceswaitingformyorder.Thestarsaheadseemedtobeglidingfromrighttoleft.AndallwassostillintheworldthatIheardthequietremark,“She’sround,”passedinatoneofintensereliefbetweentwoseamen.
“Letgoandhaul.”
Theforeyardsranroundwithagreatnoise,amidstcheerycries.Andnowthefrightfulwhiskersmadethemselvesheardgivingvariousorders
