Кінець рабства
II
Hewouldhavetobuckle-to,andkeephergoinghardonascantallowanceofgiltfortheginger-breadscrollsatherstemandstern.
Thisnecessityopenedhiseyestothefundamentalchangesoftheworld.Ofhispastonlythefamiliarnamesremained,hereandthere,butthethingsandthemen,ashehadknownthem,weregone.ThenameofGardner,Patteson,&Co.wasstilldisplayedonthewallsofwarehousesbythewaterside,onthebrassplatesandwindow-panesinthebusinessquartersofmorethanoneEasternport,buttherewasnolongeraGardneroraPattesoninthefirm.TherewasnolongerforCaptainWhalleyanarm-chairandawelcomeintheprivateoffice,withabitofbusinessreadytobeputinthewayofanoldfriend,forthesakeofbygoneservices.ThehusbandsoftheGardnergirlssatbehindthedesksinthatroomwhere,longafterhehadlefttheemploy,hehadkepthisrightofentranceintheoldman’stime.Theirshipsnowhadyellowfunnelswithblacktops,andatime-tableofappointedrouteslikeaconfoundedserviceoftramways.ThewindsofDecemberandJunewereallonetothem;theircaptains(excellentyoungmenhedoubtednot)were,tobesure,familiarwithWhalleyIsland,becauseoflateyearstheGovernmenthadestablishedawhitefixedlightonthenorthend(withareddangersectorovertheCondorReef),butmostofthemwouldhavebeenextremelysurprisedtohearthataflesh-and-bloodWhalleystillexisted—anoldmangoingabouttheworldtryingtopickupacargohereandthereforhislittlebark.
Andeverywhereitwasthesame.
