Таємний спільник
I
Icameoutagainonthequarter-deck,agreeablyateaseinmysleepingsuitonthatwarmbreathlessnight,barefooted,aglowingcigarinmyteeth,and,goingforward,Iwasmetbytheprofoundsilenceoftheforeendoftheship.OnlyasIpassedthedooroftheforecastle,Iheardadeep,quiet,trustfulsighofsomesleeperinside.AndsuddenlyIrejoicedinthegreatsecurityoftheseaascomparedwiththeunrestoftheland,inmychoiceofthatuntemptedlifepresentingnodisquietingproblems,investedwithanelementarymoralbeautybytheabsolutestraightforwardnessofitsappealandbythesinglenessofitspurpose.
Theridinglightintheforeriggingburnedwithaclear,untroubled,asifsymbolic,flame,confidentandbrightinthemysteriousshadesofthenight.Passingonmywayaftalongtheothersideoftheship,Iobservedthattheropesideladder,putover,nodoubt,forthemasterofthetugwhenhecametofetchawayourletters,hadnotbeenhauledinasitshouldhavebeen.Ibecameannoyedatthis,forexactitudeinsomesmallmattersistheverysoulofdiscipline.ThenIreflectedthatIhadmyselfperemptorilydismissedmyofficersfromduty,andbymyownacthadpreventedtheanchorwatchbeingformallysetandthingsproperlyattendedto.Iaskedmyselfwhetheritwaswiseevertointerferewiththeestablishedroutineofdutiesevenfromthekindestofmotives.Myactionmighthavemademeappeareccentric.Goodnessonlyknewhowthatabsurdlywhiskeredmatewould“account”formyconduct,andwhatthewholeshipthoughtofthatinformalityoftheirnewcaptain.
