Морський вовк

Chapter 2

           Nothingwastobeseenofhischest,however,foritwascoveredwithamassofblackhair,inappearancelikethefurrycoatofadog.Hisfaceandneckwerehiddenbeneathablackbeard,intershotwithgrey,whichwouldhavebeenstiffandbushyhaditnotbeenlimpanddraggledanddrippingwithwater.Hiseyeswereclosed,andhewasapparentlyunconscious;buthismouthwaswideopen,hisbreast,heavingasthoughfromsuffocationashelabourednoisilyforbreath.Asailor,fromtimetotimeandquitemethodically,asamatterofroutine,droppedacanvasbucketintotheoceanattheendofarope,hauleditinhandunderhand,andsluiceditscontentsovertheprostrateman.

           Pacingbackandforththelengthofthehatchwaysandsavagelychewingtheendofacigar,wasthemanwhosecasualglancehadrescuedmefromthesea.Hisheightwasprobablyfivefeetteninches,ortenandahalf;butmyfirstimpression,orfeeloftheman,wasnotofthis,butofhisstrength.Andyet,whilehewasofmassivebuild,withbroadshouldersanddeepchest,Icouldnotcharacterizehisstrengthasmassive.Itwaswhatmightbetermedasinewy,knottystrength,ofthekindweascribetoleanandwirymen,butwhich,inhim,becauseofhisheavybuild,partookmoreoftheenlargedgorillaorder.Notthatinappearanceheseemedintheleastgorilla-like.WhatIamstrivingtoexpressisthisstrengthitself,moreasathingapartfromhisphysicalsemblance.Itwasastrengthwearewonttoassociatewiththingsprimitive,withwildanimals,andthecreaturesweimagineourtree-dwellingprototypestohavebeenastrengthsavage,ferocious,aliveinitself,theessenceoflifeinthatitisthepotencyofmotion,theelementalstuffitselfoutofwhichthemanyformsoflifehavebeenmoulded;inshort,thatwhichwrithesinthebodyofasnakewhentheheadiscutoff,andthesnake,asasnake,isdead,orwhichlingersintheshapelesslumpofturtle-meatandrecoilsandquiversfromtheprodofafinger.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 17 з 396