Кінець рабства
XIV
No,hemustnotgivehimselfawayafterhavinggonesofarforhersake.“Yousteeredthecourse?Youmadeit?Speakthetruth.”
“Ya,Tuan.Onthecoursenow.Look.”
CaptainWhalleystrodetothebinnacle,whichtohimmadesuchadimspotoflightinaninfinityofshapelessshadow.Bybendinghisfacerightdowntotheglasshehadbeenablebefore...
Havingtostoopsolow,heputout,instinctively,hisarmtowhereheknewtherewasastanchiontosteadyhimselfagainst.Hishandclosedonsomethingthatwasnotwoodbutcloth.Theslightpulladdingtotheweight,theloopbroke,andMr.Massy’scoatfalling,struckthedeckheavilywithadullthump,accompaniedbyalotofclicks.
“What’sthis?”
CaptainWhalleyfellonhisknees,withgropinghandsextendedinafrankgestureofblindness.Theytrembled,thesehandsfeelingforthetruth.Hesawit.Ironnearthecompass.Wrongcourse.Wreckher!Hisship.Ohno.Notthat.
“Jumpandstopher!”heroaredoutinavoicenothisown.
Heranhimself—handsforward,ablindman,andwhiletheclangingofthegongechoedstillallovertheship,sheseemedtobuttfulltiltintothesideofamountain.
Itwaslowwateralongthenorthsideofthestrait.Mr.Massyhadnotreckonedonthat.Insteadofrunningagroundforhalfherlength,theSofalabuttedthesheerridgeofastonereefwhichwouldhavebeenawashathighwater.Thismadetheshockabsolutelyterrific.Everybodyintheshipthatwasstandingwasthrowndownheadlong:theshakenriggingmadeagreatrattlingtotheverytrucks.
