Кінець рабства

           VanWykhadbeenofcoursemadetheguestoftheclubforafortnight,anditwastherethathemetthelawyerinwhoseofficehadbeensignedtheagreementbetweenMassyandCaptainWhalley.

           “Extraordinaryoldman,”hesaid.“Hecameintomyofficefromnowhereinparticularasyoumaysay,withhisfivehundredpoundstoplace,andthatengineerfellowfollowinghimanxiously.Andnowheisgoneoutalittleinexplicably,justashecame.Icouldneverunderstandhimquite.TherewasnomysteryatallaboutthatMassy,eh?IwonderwhetherWhalleyrefusedtoleavetheship.Itwouldhavebeenfoolish.Hewasblameless,asthecourtfound.”

           Mr.VanWykhadknownhimwell,hesaid,andhecouldnotbelieveinsuicide.Suchanactwouldnothavebeenincharacterwithwhatheknewoftheman.

           “Itismyopinion,too,”thelawyeragreed.Thegeneraltheorywasthatthecaptainhadremainedtoolongonboardtryingtosavesomethingofimportance.Perhapsthechartwhichwouldclearhim,orelsesomethingofvalueinhiscabin.Thepainteroftheboathadcomeadriftofitselfitwassupposed.However,strangetosay,somelittletimebeforethatvoyagepoorWhalleyhadcalledinhisofficeandhadleftwithhimasealedenvelopeaddressedtohisdaughter,tobeforwardedtoherincaseofhisdeath.Stillitwasnothingveryunusual,especiallyinamanofhisage.Mr.VanWykshookhishead.CaptainWhalleylookedgoodforahundredyears.

           “Perfectlytrue,”assentedthelawyer.“Theoldfellowlookedasthoughhehadcomeintotheworldfull-grownandwiththatlongbeard.