Кінець рабства
XI
Hemadeanote.Thenextwinningnumberofthegreatprizewasforty-seventhousandandfive.ThesenumbersofcoursewouldhavetobeavoidedinthefuturewhenwritingtoManillaforthetickets.Hemumbled,pencilinhand...“andfive.Hm...hm.”Hewettedhisfinger:thepapersrustled.Ha!Butwhat’sthis?Threeyearsago,intheSeptemberdrawing,itwasnumbernine,aught,four,twothattookthefirstprize.Mostremarkable.Therewasahintthereofadefiniterule!Hewasafraidofmissingsomereconditeprincipleintheoverwhelmingwealthofhismaterial.Whatcoulditbe?andforhalfanhourhewouldremaindeadstill,bentlowoverthedesk,withouttwitchingamuscle.Athisbackthewholeberthwouldbethickwithaheavybodyofsmoke,asifabombhadburstinthere,unnoticed,unheard.
Atlasthewouldlockupthedeskwiththedecisionofunshakenconfidence,jumpandgoout.Hewouldwalkswiftlybackandforthonthatpartoftheforedeckwhichwaskeptclearofthelumberandofthebodiesofthenativepassengers.Theywereagreatnuisance,buttheywerealsoasourceofprofitthatcouldnotbedisdained.HeneededeverypennyofprofittheSofalacouldmake.Littleenoughitwas,inallconscience!Theincertitudeofchancegavehimnoconcern,sincehehadsomehowarrivedattheconvictionthat,inthecourseofyears,everynumberwasboundtohavehiswinningturn.Itwassimplyamatteroftimeandoftakingasmanyticketsashecouldaffordforeverydrawing.
