Короли и капуста
The Lotus and the Bottle
ButhehadseentheIdalianotthreehoursbefore,safeandspeeding.Supposethecrewhadmutiniedandimprisonedthepassengersbelow,andthemessagewasonebeggingforsuccour!But,premisingsuchanimprobableoutrage,wouldtheagitatedcaptiveshavetakenthepainstofillfourpagesofnote-paperwithcarefullypennedargumentstotheirrescue.
Thusbyeliminationhesoonridthematterofthemoreunlikelytheories,andwasreduced—thoughaversely—tothelessassailableonethatthebottlecontainedamessagetohimself.IdaknewhewasinCoralio;shemusthavelaunchedthebottlewhiletheyachtwaspassingandthewindblowingfairlytowardtheshore.
AssoonasGeddiereachedthisconclusionawrinklecamebetweenhisbrowsandastubbornlooksettledaroundhismouth.Hesatlookingoutthroughthedoorwayatthegiganticfire-fliestraversingthequietstreets.
IfthiswasamessagetohimfromIda,whatcoulditmeansaveanoverturetowardareconciliation?Andifthat,whyhadshenotusedthesamemethodsofthepostinsteadofthisuncertainandevenflippantmeansofcommunication?Anoteinanemptybottle,castintothesea!Therewassomethinglightandfrivolousaboutit,ifnotactuallycontemptuous.
Thethoughtstirredhisprideandsubduedwhateveremotionshadbeenresurrectedbythefindingofthebottle.
Geddieputonhiscoatandhatandwalkedout.Hefollowedastreetthatledhimalongtheborderofthelittleplazawhereabandwasplayingandpeoplewererambling,care-freeandindolent.
