Дни грёз
A Saga Of The Seas
Aboat’s-crewwouldbetoldofftocutthecables,andtwoboats’-crewstoclimbstealthilyonboardandoverpowerthesleepingFrenchmen,andtwomoreboats’crewstohaulthedoomedvesseloutofthebay.Thismaderatherademandonmylimitedresourcesastocrews;butIwaspreparedtostretchapointinacaselikethis,andIspeedilybroughtmynumbersuptotherequisiteefficiency.
Thenightwasbothmoonlessandstar-less—Ihadarrangedallthat—whentheboatspushedofffromthesideofourvessel,andmadetheirwaytowardtheshipthat,unfortunatelyforitself,hadbeensingledoutbyFatetocarrymehomeintriumph.Iwasinexcellentspirits,and,indeed,asIsteppedovertheside,alawlessideacrossedmymind,ofdiscoveringanotherPrincessonboardthefrigate—aFrenchonethistime;Ihadheardthatthatsortwasrathernice.ButIabandonedthenotionatonce,recollectingthattheheroesofallhistoryhadalwaysbeennotedfortheirunswervingconstancy.
TheFrenchcaptainwassnuginbedwhenIclamberedinthroughhiscabinwindowandheldanakedcutlasstohisthroat.Naturallyhewassurprisedandconsiderablyalarmed,tillIdischargedoneofmysetspeechesathim,pointingoutthatmymenalreadyhadhiscrewunderhatchways,thathisvesselwaseventhenbeingtowedoutofharbour,andthat,onhisacceptingthesituationwithagoodgrace,hispersonandprivatepropertywouldbetreatedwithalltherespectduetotherepresentativeofagreatnationforwhichIentertainedfeelingsoftheprofoundestadmirationandregardandallthatsortofthing.
