Острів доктора Моро
At the Schooner’s Rail.
Hespokelikeamanwhohadlovedhislifethere,andhadbeensuddenlyandirrevocablycutofffromit.IgossipedaswellasIcouldofthisandthat.Allthetimethestrangenessofhimwasshapingitselfinmymind;andasItalkedIpeeredathisodd,pallidfaceinthedimlightofthebinnaclelanternbehindme.ThenIlookedoutatthedarklingsea,whereinthedimnesshislittleislandwashidden.
Thisman,itseemedtome,hadcomeoutofImmensitymerelytosavemylife.To-morrowhewoulddropovertheside,andvanishagainoutofmyexistence.Evenhaditbeenundercommonplacecircumstances,itwouldhavemademeatriflethoughtful;butinthefirstplacewasthesingularityofaneducatedmanlivingonthisunknownlittleisland,andcoupledwiththattheextraordinarynatureofhisluggage.Ifoundmyselfrepeatingthecaptain’squestion,Whatdidhewantwiththebeasts?Why,too,hadhepretendedtheywerenothiswhenIhadremarkedaboutthematfirst?Then,again,inhispersonalattendanttherewasabizarrequalitywhichhadimpressedmeprofoundly.Thesecircumstancesthrewahazeofmysteryroundtheman.Theylaidholdofmyimagination,andhamperedmytongue.
TowardsmidnightourtalkofLondondiedaway,andwestoodsidebysideleaningoverthebulwarksandstaringdreamilyoverthesilent,starlitsea,eachpursuinghisownthoughts.Itwastheatmosphereforsentiment,andIbeganuponmygratitude.
"IfImaysayit,"saidI,afteratime,"youhavesavedmylife.
