Кінець рабства
II
Hehadnotenjoyedhimselfsomuchinawaysincehiswifehaddied.Characteristicallyenoughhisson-in-law’spunctualityinfailurecausedhimatadistancetofeelasortofkindnesstowardstheman.Thefellowwassoperpetuallybeingjammedonaleeshorethattochargeitalltohisrecklessnavigationwouldbemanifestlyunfair.No,no!Heknewwellwhatthatmeant.Itwasbadluck.Hisownhadbeensimplymarvelous,buthehadseeninhislifetoomanygoodmen—seamenandothers—gounderwiththesheerweightofbadlucknottorecognizethefatalsigns.Forallthat,hewascogitatingonthebestwayoftyingupverystrictlyeverypennyhehadtoleave,when,withapreliminaryrumbleofrumors(whosefirstsoundreachedhiminShanghaiasithappened),theshockofthebigfailurecame;and,afterpassingthroughthephasesofstupor,ofincredulity,ofindignation,hehadtoacceptthefactthathehadnothingtospeakoftoleave.
Uponthat,asifhehadonlywaitedforthiscatastrophe,theunluckyman,awaythereinMelbourne,gaveuphisunprofitablegame,andsatdown—inaninvalid’sbath-chairatthattoo.“Hewillneverwalkagain,”wrotethewife.ForthefirsttimeinhislifeCaptainWhalleywasabitstaggered.
TheFairMaidhadtogotoworkinbitterearnestnow.ItwasnolongeramatterofpreservingalivethememoryofDare-devilHarryWhalleyintheEasternSeas,orofkeepinganoldmaninpocket-moneyandclothes,with,perhaps,abillforafewhundredfirst-classcigarsthrowninattheendoftheyear.
