Кінець рабства
XII
Thestrikingdignityofmannercouldbenothingelse,inamanreducedtosuchahumbleposition,buttheexpressionofsomethingessentiallynobleinthecharacter.Withallhistrustinmankindhewasnofool;theserenityofhistemperattheendofsomanyyears,sinceitcouldnotobviouslyhavebeenappeasedbysuccess,woreanairofprofoundwisdom.Mr.VanWykwasamusedatitsometimes.EventheveryphysicaltraitsoftheoldcaptainoftheSofala,hispowerfulframe,hisreposefulmien,hisintelligent,handsomeface,thebiglimbs,thebenigncourtesy,thetouchofruggedseverityintheshaggyeyebrows,madeupaseductivepersonality.Mr.VanWykdislikedlittlenessofeverykind,buttherewasnothingsmallaboutthatman,andintheexemplaryregularityofmanytripsanintimacyhadgrownupbetweenthem,awarmfeelingatbottomunderakindlystatelinessofformsagreeabletohisfastidiousness.
Theykepttheirrespectiveopinionsonallworldlymatters.HisotherconvictionsCaptainWhalleyneverintruded.Thedifferenceoftheirageswaslikeanotherbondbetweenthem.Once,whentwittedwiththeuncharitablenessofhisyouth,Mr.VanWyk,runninghiseyeoverthevastproportionsofhisinterlocutor,retortedinfriendlybanter—
“Oh.You’llcometomywayofthinkingyet.You’llhaveplentyoftime.Don’tcallyourselfold:youlookgoodforaroundhundred.”
Buthecouldnothelphisstingingincisiveness,andthoughmoderatingitbyanalmostaffectionatesmile,headded—
“Andbythenyouwillprobablyconsenttodiefromsheerdisgust.
