Міжзірковий мандрівник
Chapter 19
ItwasGod’swill,andweHispoorcreaturescouldonlyobeyandfulfilHiswill.Andyet,Godwaskind.InHisall-kindnessHesavedusfromsoterrible,thoughsorighteous,anact.
Scarcehadaquarterofanhourpassed,whenafanofairfromthewest,withahintoffrostanddampinit,crispedonourcheeks.Inanotherfiveminuteswehadsteeragefromthefilledsail,andArnoldBenthamwasatthesteeringsweep.
“Savewhatlittlestrengthyouhave,”hehadsaid.“Letmeconsumethelittlestrengthleftinmeinorderthatitmayincreaseyourchancetosurvive.”
Andsohesteeredtoafresheningbreeze,whileCaptainNichollandIlaysprawledintheboat’sbottomandinourweaknessdreameddreamsandglimpsedvisionsofthedearthingsoflifefaracrosstheworldfromus.
Itwasanever-fresheningbreezeofwindthatsoonbegantopuffandgust.Thecloudstuffflyingacrosstheskyforetoldusofagale.BymiddayArnoldBenthamfaintedatthesteering,and,eretheboatcouldbroachinthetidyseaalreadyrunning,CaptainNichollandIwereatthesteeringsweepwithallthefourofourweakhandsuponit.Wecametoanagreement,and,justasCaptainNichollhaddrawnthefirstlotbyvirtueofhisoffice,sonowhetookthefirstspellatsteering.Thereafterthethreeofusspelledoneanothereveryfifteenminutes.Wewereveryweakandwecouldnotspelllongeratatime.
