Кінець рабства
XI
Inthemidstoflifeweareindeath,buthetrustedhisMakerwithastillgreaterfearlessness—hisMakerwhoknewhisthoughts,hishumanaffections,andhismotives.HisCreatorknewwhatusehewasmakingofhishealth—howmuchhewantedit...“Itrustmyfirstillnesswillbemylast.I’veneverbeenillthatIcanremember,”hehadremarked.“Letitgo.”
ButatthisearlystagehehadalreadyawakenedMassy’shostilitybyrefusingtomakeitsixhundredinsteadoffive.“Icannotdothat,”wasallhehadsaid,simply,butwithsomuchdecisionthatMassydesistedatoncefrompressingthepoint,buthadthoughttohimself,“Can’t!Oldcurmudgeon.Won’tHemusthavelotsofmoney,buthewouldliketogetholdofasoftberthandthesixthpartofmyprofitsfornothingifheonlycould.”
AndduringtheseyearsMassy’sdislikegrewundertherestraintofsomethingresemblingfear.Thesimplicityofthatmanappeareddangerous.Oflatehehadchanged,however,hadappearedlessformidableandwithalessenedvigoroflife,asthoughhehadreceivedasecretwound.Butstillheremainedincomprehensibleinhissimplicity,fearlessness,andrectitude.AndwhenMassylearnedthathemeanttoleavehimattheendofthetime,toleavehimconfrontedwiththeproblemofboilers,hisdislikeblazedupsecretlyintohate.
Ithadmadehimsoclear-eyedthatforalongtimenowMr.Sternecouldhavetoldhimnothinghedidnotknow.Hehadmuchadointryingtoterrorizethatmeansneakintosilence;hewantedtodealalonewiththesituation;and—incredibleasitmighthaveappearedtoMr.
