Кінець рабства
II
Shehadtwinedherselftightlyroundhisheart,andheintendedhertoclingclosetoherfatherastoatowerofstrength;forgetting,whileshewaslittle,thatinthenatureofthingsshewouldprobablyelecttoclingtosomeoneelse.Buthelovedlifewellenoughforeventhateventtogivehimacertainsatisfaction,apartfromhismoreintimatefeelingofloss.
AfterhehadpurchasedtheFairMaidtooccupyhisloneliness,hehastenedtoacceptaratherunprofitablefreighttoAustraliasimplyfortheopportunityofseeinghisdaughterinherownhome.Whatmadehimdissatisfiedtherewasnottoseethatsheclungnowtosomebodyelse,butthatthepropshehadselectedseemedoncloserexamination“aratherpoorstick”—eveninthematterofhealth.Hedislikedhisson-in-law’sstudiedcivilityperhapsmorethanhismethodofhandlingthesumofmoneyhehadgivenIvyathermarriage.Butofhisapprehensionshesaidnothing.Onlyonthedayofhisdeparture,withthehall-dooropenalready,holdingherhandsandlookingsteadilyintohereyes,hehadsaid,“Youknow,mydear,allIhaveisforyouandthechicks.Mindyouwritetomeopenly.”Shehadansweredhimbyanalmostimperceptiblemovementofherhead.Sheresembledhermotherinthecolorofhereyes,andincharacter—andalsointhis,thatsheunderstoodhimwithoutmanywords.
Sureenoughshehadtowrite;andsomeoftheselettersmadeCaptainWhalleylifthiswhiteeye-brows.Fortherestheconsideredhewasreapingthetruerewardofhislifebybeingthusabletoproduceondemandwhateverwasneeded.
