Викрадений
Chapter 21
Thiswasindeedourchiefpleasureandbusiness;andnotonlytosaveourmealagainstworsetimes,butwitharivalrythatmuchamusedus,wespentagreatpartofourdaysatthewater-side,strippedtothewaistandgropingaboutor(astheysay)guddlingforthesefish.Thelargestwegotmighthavebeenaquarterofapound;buttheywereofgoodfleshandflavour,andwhenbroileduponthecoals,lackedonlyalittlesalttobedelicious.
Inanyby-timeAlanmustteachmetousemysword,formyignorancehadmuchdistressedhim;andIthinkbesides,asIhadsometimestheupper-handofhiminthefishing,hewasnotsorrytoturntoanexercisewherehehadsomuchtheupper-handofme.Hemadeitsomewhatmoreofapainthanneedhavebeen,forhestormedatmeallthroughthelessonsinaveryviolentmannerofscolding,andwouldpushmesoclosethatImadesurehemustrunmethroughthebody.Iwasoftentemptedtoturntail,butheldmygroundforallthat,andgotsomeprofitofmylessons;ifitwasbuttostandonguardwithanassuredcountenance,whichisoftenallthatisrequired.So,thoughIcouldneverintheleastpleasemymaster,Iwasnotaltogetherdispleasedwithmyself.
Inthemeanwhile,youarenottosupposethatweneglectedourchiefbusiness,whichwastogetaway.
“Itwillbemanyalongday,”Alansaidtomeonourfirstmorning,“beforethered-coatsthinkuponseekingCorrynakiegh;sonowwemustgetwordsenttoJames,andhemustfindthesillerforus.”
“Andhowshallwesendthatword?”saysI.
