Короли и капуста
The Lotus and the Bottle
Now,sinceshehadcometwothousandmilesandhadpassedwithoutasign,notevenhisunconsciousselfneedclingtothepastanylonger.
Afterdinner,whenthesunwaslowbehindthemountains,Geddiewalkedonthelittlestripofbeachunderthecocoanuts.Thewindwasblowingmildlylandward,andthesurfaceoftheseawasrippledbytinywavelets.
Aminiaturebreaker,spreadingwithasoft"swish"uponthesandbroughtwithitsomethingroundandshinythatrolledbackagainasthewavereceded.Thenextinfluxbeacheditclear,andGeddiepickeditup.Thethingwasalong-neckedwinebottleofcolourlessglass.Thecorkhadbeendrivenintightlytothelevelofthemouth,andtheendcoveredwithdark-redsealing-wax.Thebottlecontainedonlywhatseemedtobeasheetofpaper,muchcurledfromthemanipulationithadundergonewhilebeinginserted.Inthesealing-waxwastheimpressionofaseal—probablyofasignet-ring,bearingtheinitialsofamonogram;buttheimpressionhadbeenhastilymade,andtheletterswerepastanythingmorecertainthanashrewdconjecture.IdaPaynehadalwayswornasignet-ringinpreferencetoanyotherfingerdecoration.Geddiethoughthecouldmakeoutthefamiliar"IP";andaqueersensationofdisquietudewentoverhim.Morepersonalandintimatewasthisreminderofherthanhadbeenthesightofthevesselshewasdoubtlesson.Hewalkedbacktohishouse,andsetthebottleonhisdesk.
