Викрадений
Chapter 6
ForthoughIhadpromisedmyselfnottoletmykinsmanoutofsight,Iwasbothsoimpatientforanearerlookofthesea,andsosickenedbytheclosenessoftheroom,thatwhenhetoldmeto“rundown-stairsandplaymyselfawhile,”Iwasfoolenoughtotakehimathisword.
AwayIwent,therefore,leavingthetwomensittingdowntoabottleandagreatmassofpapers;andcrossingtheroadinfrontoftheinn,walkeddownuponthebeach.Withthewindinthatquarter,onlylittlewavelets,notmuchbiggerthanIhadseenuponalake,beatupontheshore.Buttheweedswerenewtome—somegreen,somebrownandlong,andsomewithlittlebladdersthatcrackledbetweenmyfingers.Evensofarupthefirth,thesmellofthesea-waterwasexceedinglysaltandstirring;theCovenant,besides,wasbeginningtoshakeouthersails,whichhungupontheyardsinclusters;andthespiritofallthatIbeheldputmeinthoughtsoffarvoyagesandforeignplaces.
Ilooked,too,attheseamenwiththeskiff—bigbrownfellows,someinshirts,somewithjackets,somewithcolouredhandkerchiefsabouttheirthroats,onewithabraceofpistolsstuckintohispockets,twoorthreewithknottybludgeons,andallwiththeircase-knives.Ipassedthetimeofdaywithonethatlookedlessdesperatethanhisfellows,andaskedhimofthesailingofthebrig.Hesaidtheywouldgetunderwayassoonastheebbset,andexpressedhisgladnesstobeoutofaportwheretherewerenotavernsandfiddlers;butallwithsuchhorrifyingoaths,thatImadehastetogetawayfromhim.
