Таємний спільник
II
”
“Iassureyouhenevergavetheorder.Hemaythinkhedid,buthenevergaveit.Hestoodtherewithmeonthebreakofthepoopafterthemaintopsailblewaway,andwhimperedaboutourlasthope—positivelywhimperedaboutitandnothingelse—andthenightcomingon!Tohearone’sskippergoonlikethatinsuchweatherwasenoughtodriveanyfellowoutofhismind.Itworkedmeupintoasortofdesperation.Ijusttookitintomyownhandsandwentawayfromhim,boiling,and—Butwhat’stheusetellingyou?Youknow!...DoyouthinkthatifIhadnotbeenprettyfiercewiththemIshouldhavegotthementodoanything?NotI!Thebo’s’nperhaps?Perhaps!Itwasn’taheavysea—itwasaseagonemad!Isupposetheendoftheworldwillbesomethinglikethat;andamanmayhavethehearttoseeitcomingonceandbedonewithit—buttohavetofaceitdayafterday—Idon’tblameanybody.Iwaspreciouslittlebetterthantherest.Only—Iwasanofficerofthatoldcoalwagon,anyhow—”
“Iquiteunderstand,”Iconveyedthatsincereassuranceintohisear.Hewasoutofbreathwithwhispering;Icouldhearhimpantslightly.Itwasallverysimple.Thesamestrung-upforcewhichhadgiventwenty-fourmenachance,atleast,fortheirlives,had,inasortofrecoil,crushedanunworthymutinousexistence.
ButIhadnoleisuretoweighthemeritsofthematter—footstepsinthesaloon,aheavyknock.“There’senoughwindtogetunderwaywith,sir.”Herewasthecallofanewclaimuponmythoughtsandevenuponmyfeelings.
“Turnthehandsup,”Icriedthroughthedoor.
