Конец рабства

IV

           Onceatwork,hewouldhelpherwiththegreaterpartofhisearnings;hewasgoodformanyyearsyet,andthisboarding-housebusiness,hearguedtohimself,whatevertheprospects,couldnotbemuchofagold-minefromthefirststart.Butwhatwork?Hewasreadytolayholdofanythinginanhonestwaysothatitcamequicklytohishand;becausethefivehundredpoundsmustbepreservedintactforeventualuse.Thatwasthegreatpoint.Withtheentirefivehundredonefeltasubstanceatone’sback;butitseemedtohimthatshouldheletitdwindletofour-fiftyorevenfour-eighty,alltheefficiencywouldbegoneoutofthemoney,asthoughthereweresomemagicpowerintheroundfigure.Butwhatsortofwork?

           Confrontedbythathauntingquestionasbyanuneasyghost,forwhomhehadnoexorcisingformula,CaptainWhalleystoppedshortontheapexofasmallbridgespanningsteeplythebedofacanalizedcreekwithgraniteshores.MooredbetweenthesquareblocksaseagoingMalaypraufloatedhalfhiddenunderthearchofmasonry,withhersparslowereddown,withoutasoundoflifeonboard,andcoveredfromstemtosternwitharidgeofpalm-leafmats.Hehadleftbehindhimtheoverheatedpavementsborderedbythestonefrontagesthat,likethesheerfaceofcliffs,followedthesweepofthequays;andanunconfinedspaciousnessoforderlyandsylvanaspectopenedbeforehimitswideplotsofrolledgrass,likepiecesofgreencarpetsmoothlypeggedout,itslongrangesoftreeslinedupincolossalporticosofdarkshaftsroofedwithavaultofbranches.

           Someoftheseavenuesendedatthesea.

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