Кінець рабства

           Eventhemail-boatsofthesubsidizedcompanycallingontheveriestclustersofpalm-thatchedhovelsalongthecoaststeamedpastthemouthofBatuBeruriverfarawayintheoffing.Thecontractwasold:perhapsinafewyears’time,whenithadexpired,BatuBeruwouldbeincludedintheservice;meantimeallMr.VanWyk’smailwasaddressedtoMalacca,whencehisagentsentitacrossonceamonthbytheSofala.ItfollowedthatwheneverMassyhadrunshortofmoney(throughtakingtoomanylotterytickets),orgotintoadifficultyaboutaskipper,Mr.VanWykwasdeprivedofhisletterandnewspapers.InsofarhehadapersonalinterestinthefortunesoftheSofala.Thoughheconsideredhimselfahermit(andfornopassingwhimevidently,sincehehadstoodeightyearsofitalready),helikedtoknowwhatwentonintheworld.

           Handyontheverandauponawalnutetagere(ithadcomelastyearbytheSofala)—everythingcamebytheSofalatherelay,piledupunderbronzeweights,apileoftheTimes’weeklyedition,thelargesheetsoftheRotterdamCourant,theGraphicinitsworld-widegreenwrappers,anillustratedDutchpublicationwithoutacover,thenumbersofaGermanmagazinewithcoversofthe“Bismarckmalade”color.Therewerealsoparcelsofnewmusic—thoughthepiano(ithadcomeyearsagobytheSofalainthedampatmosphereoftheforestswasgenerallyoutoftune.)Itwasvexingtobecutofffromeverythingforsixtydaysatastretchsometimes,withoutanymeansofknowingwhatwasthematter.AndwhentheSofalareappearedMr.