Дни грёз
A Saga Of The Seas
Wipingthebloodoutofmyeyes,Iorderedthesignalmantoreplyinstantly,withthehalf-dozenorsoofflagsthathehadathisdisposal,thatmuchasweappreciatedthevalouroftheregularservice,andthedelicacyofspiritthatanimateditscommanders,stillthiswasanorthodoxcaseoftheyounggentleman-adventurerversustheunshavedpirate,andHerMajesty’sMarinehadnothingtodobuttoformtheusualadmiringandapplaudingbackground.Then,rallyingroundmetheremnantofmyfaithfulcrew,Iselectedafreshcutlass(Ihadwornoutthreealready)andplungedoncemoreintothepleasingcarnage.
Theresultwasnotlongdoubtful.Indeed,Icouldnotallowittobe,asIwasalreadygettingsomewhatboredwiththepiratebusiness,andwaswantingtogetontosomethingmoresouthernandsensuous.AllseriousresistancecametoanendassoonasIhadreachedthequarter-deckandcutdownthepiratechief—afineblack-beardedfellowinhisway,buthardlyuptodateinhisparry-and-thrustbusiness.Thosewhomourcutlasseshadsparedweremarchedoutalongtheirownplank,intheapprovedoldfashion;andintimethescuppersrelievedthedecksofthebloodthatmadetraffictemporarilyimpossible.AndallthetimetheBritish-man-of-waradmiredandapplaudedintheoffing.
Assoonaswehadgotthroughwiththenecessarythroat-cuttingandswabbing-upallhandssettoworktodiscovertreasure;andsoonthedeckshonebravelywithingotsandMexicandollarsandchurchplate.Therewereropesofpearls,too,andbigstacksofnougat;andrubies,andgoldwatches,andTurkishDelightintubs.
