Короли и капуста

           "Thebutchers,mydearadmiral,"saidthelargeman,smiling,"toolatefortheslaughter."

           Furtherthanhisorderstohiscrew,theadmiralwassayingnothing.Thetopsailandjibwerespread,andthesloopglidedoutoftheestuary.Thelargemanandhiscompanionshadbestowedthemselveswithwhatcomforttheycouldaboutthebaredeck.Belike,thethingbigintheirmindshadbeentheirdeparturefromthatcriticalshore;andnowthatthehazardwassofarreducedtheirthoughtswereloosedtotheconsiderationoffurtherdeliverance.Butwhentheysawthesloopturnandflyupcoastagaintheyrelaxed,satisfiedwiththecoursetheadmiralhadtaken.

           Thelargemansatatease,hisspiritedblueeyeengagedinthecontemplationofthenavy’scommander.Hewastryingtoestimatethissombreandfantasticlad,whoseimpenetrablestoliditypuzzledhim.Himselfafugitive,hislifesought,andchafingunderthesmartofdefeatandfailure,itwascharacteristicofhimtotransferinstantlyhisinteresttothestudyofathingnewtohim.Itwaslikehim,too,tohaveconceivedandriskedalluponthislastdesperateandmadcapscheme—thismessagetoapoor,crazedfanaticocruisingaboutwithhisgrotesqueuniformandhisfarcicaltitle.Buthiscompanionshadbeenattheirwits’end;escapehadseemedincredible;andnowhewaspleasedwiththesuccessoftheplantheyhadcalledcrack-brainedandprecarious.

           Thebrief,tropictwilightseemedtoslideswiftlyintothepearlysplendourofamoonlitnight.