Кінець рабства
XIV
Theywerewaiting,tillavoicesuddenlyexclaimed—
“Weareadrift!Shoveoff!”
“CaptainWhalley!Leap!...pullupalittle...leap!Youcanswim.”
Inthatoldheart,inthatvigorousbody,therewas,thatnothingshouldbewanting,ahorrorofdeaththatapparentlycouldnotbeovercomebythehorrorofblindness.Butafterall,forIvyhehadcarriedhispoint,walkinginhisdarknesstotheveryvergeofacrime.Godhadnotlistenedtohisprayers.Thelighthadfinishedebbingoutoftheworld;notaglimmer.Itwasadarkwaste;butitwasunseemlythataWhalleywhohadgonesofartocarryapointshouldcontinuetolive.Hemustpaytheprice.
“Leapasfarasyoucan,sir;wewillpickyouup.”
Theydidnothearhimanswer.Buttheirshoutingseemedtoremindhimofsomething.Hegropedhiswayback,andsoughtforMr.Massy’scoat.Hecouldswimindeed;peoplesuckeddownbythewhirlpoolofasinkingshipdocomeupsometimestothesurface,anditwasunseemlythataWhalley,whohadmadeuphismindtodie,shouldbebeguiledbychanceintoastruggle.Hewouldputallthesepiecesofironintohisownpockets.
They,lookingfromtheboat,sawtheSofala,ablackmassuponablacksea,lyingstillatanappallingcant.Nosoundcamefromher.Then,withagreatbizarreshufflingnoise,asiftheboilershadbrokenthroughthebulkheads,andwithafaintmuffleddetonation,wheretheshiphadbeenthereappearedforamomentsomethingstandinguprightandnarrow,likearockoutofthesea.Thenthattoodisappeared.
WhentheSofalafailedtocomebacktoBatuBeruatthepropertime,Mr.
