Кінець рабства

           Itwasasifnobodycouldtalklikethisnow,andtheovershadowedeyes,theflowingwhitebeard,thebigframe,theserenity,thewholetemperoftheman,wereanamazingsurvivalfromtheprehistorictimesoftheworldcominguptohimoutofthesea.

           CaptainWhalleyhadbeenalsothepioneeroftheearlytradeintheGulfofPe-tchi-li.Heevenfoundoccasiontomentionthathehadburiedhis“dearwife”theresix-and-twentyyearsago.Mr.VanWyk,impassive,couldnothelpspeculatinginhismindswiftlyastothesortofwomanthatwouldmatewithsuchaman.Didtheymakeanadventurousandwell-matchedpair?No.Verypossibleshehadbeensmall,frail,nodoubtveryfeminine—ormostlikelycommonplacewithdomesticinstincts,utterlyinsignificant.ButCaptainWhalleywasnogarrulousbore,andshakinghisheadasiftodissipatethemomentarygloomthathadsettledonhishandsomeoldface,healludedconversationallytoMr.VanWyk’ssolitude.

           Mr.VanWykaffirmedthatsometimeshehadmorecompanythanhewanted.Hementionedsmilinglysomeofthepeculiaritiesofhisintercoursewith“MySultan.”Hemadehisvisitsinforce.Thosepeopledamagedhisgrassplotinfront(itwasnoteasytoobtainsomeapproachtoalawninthetropics)andtheotherdayhadbrokendownsomerarebusheshehadplantedoverthere.AndCaptainWhalleyrememberedimmediatelythat,in‘forty-seven,thethenSultan,“thisman’sgrandfather,”hadbeennotoriousasagreatprotectorofthepiraticalfleetsofprausfromfartherEast.TheyhadasaferefugeintheriveratBatuBeru.