Дни грёз
A Saga Of The Seas
Eventomyselfmuchoftherecentraft-glamourseemedtohavedepartedasIhalf-mechanicallysteppedinsideandcurledmyselfupinitforasolitaryvoyage.OnceIwasin,however,theoldmagicandmysteryreturnedinfullflood,whenIdiscoveredthattheinequalitiesofthetowel-horsecausedthebathtorock,slightly,indeed,buteasilyandincessantly.Afewminutesofthisdelightfulmotion,andonewasfairlylaunched.Sothosewomenbelowdidn’twantus?Well,therewereotherwomen,andotherplaces,thatdid.Andthiswasgoingtobenoscramblingraft-affair,butafull-bloodedvoyageoftheMan,equippedandpurposeful,insearchofwhatwashisrightfulown.
WhithershouldIshapemycourse,andwhatsortofvesselshouldIcharterforthevoyage?TheshippingofallEnglandwasminetopickfrom,andthefarcornersoftheglobeweremyrightfulinheritance.Afrigate,ofcourse,seemedthenaturalvehicleforaboyofspirittosetoutin.Andyettherewassomethingrather“uppish”incommandingafrigateattheveryfirstset-off,andlittlespreadwasleftfortheambition.Frigates,too,couldalwaysbeacquiredlaterbysheeradventure;andyourrealherogenerallysavedupasquare-riggedshipforthefinalachievementandtheraptreturn.No,itwasaschoonerthatIwasaboardof—aschoonerwhosemastsrakeddevilishlyastheleapingseashissedalongherlowblackgunwale.Manyhairbrainedyouthsstartedoutonamerecutter;butIwasprudent,andbesidesIhadsomeinklingoftheseriousaffairsthatwereahead.
