Кінець рабства
XII
TheoldSultan(thoughhiswistfulinvasionswereanuisance)wasreallymuchmoreacceptabletohisfastidioustaste.Butstilltheywerewhite;theperiodicalvisitsoftheshipmadeabreakinthewell-filledsamenessofthedayswithoutdisturbinghisprivacy.Moreover,theywerenecessaryfromabusinesspointofview;andthroughastrainofprecisenessinhisnaturehewasirritatedwhenshefailedtoappearattheappointedtime.
Thecauseoftheirregularitywastooabsurd,andMassy,inhisopinion,wasacontemptibleidiot.ThefirsttimetheSofalareappearedunderthenewagreementswingingoutofthebendbelow,afterhehadalmostgivenupallhopeofeverseeingheragain,hefeltsoangrythathedidnotgodownatoncetothelanding-place.Hisservantshadcomerunningtohimwiththenews,andhehaddraggedachaircloseagainstthefrontrailoftheveranda,spreadhiselbowsout,restedhischinonhishands,andwentonglaringatherfixedlywhileshewasbeingmadefastoppositehishouse.Hecouldmakeouteasilyallthewhitefacesonboard.Whoonearthwasthatkindofpatriarchtheyhadgotthereonthebridgenow?
Atlasthesprangupandwalkeddownthegravelpath.ItwasafactthattheverygravelforhispathshadbeenimportedbytheSofala.Exasperatedoutofhisquietsuperciliousness,withoutlookingatanyonerightorleft,heaccostedMassystraightwayinsodeterminedamannerthattheengineer,takenaback,begantostammerunintelligibly.Nothingcouldbeheardbutthewords:“Mr.VanWyk...Indeed,Mr.VanWyk...Forthefuture,Mr.
