Кінець рабства
XI
PoorCharley,thoughhemadehislivingbyministeringtovariousabjectvices,gavecreditfortheirfoodtomanyapieceofwhitewreckage.Hewasnaivelyoverjoyedattheideaofhisoldbillsbeingpaid,andhereckonedconfidentlyonaspelloffestivitiesinthecavernousgrog-shopdownstairs.Massyrememberedthecurious,respectfullooksofthe“trashy”whitemenintheplace.Hishearthadswelledwithinhim.MassyhadleftCharley’sinfamousdendirectlyhehadrealizedthepossibilitiesopentohim,andwithhisnoseintheair.Afterwardsthememoryoftheseadulationswasagreatsadness.
Thiswasthetruepowerofmoney,—andnotroublewithit,noranythinkingrequiredeither.Hethoughtwithdifficultyandfeltvividly;tohisbluntbraintheproblemsofferedbyanyorderedschemeoflifeseemedintheircrueltoughnesstohavebeenputinhiswaybytheobviousmalevolenceofmen.Asashipownereveryonehadconspiredtomakehimanobody.Howcouldhehavebeensuchafoolastopurchasethataccursedship.Hehadbeenabominablyswindled;therewasnoendtothisswindling;andasthedifficultiesofhisimprovidentambitiongatheredthickerroundhim,hereallycametohateeverybodyhehadevercomeincontactwith.Atempernaturallyirritableandanamazingsensitivenesstotheclaimsofhisownpersonalityhadendedbymakingoflifeforhimasortofinferno—aplacewherehislostsoulhadbeengivenuptothetormentofsavagebrooding.
