Кінець рабства
IV
Menlikehimself;men,too,likepoorEvans,forinstance,withhisredface,hiscoal-blackwhiskers,andhisrestlesseyes,whohadsetupthefirstpatentslipforrepairingsmallships,ontheedgeoftheforest,inalonelybaythreemilesupthecoast.Mr.Denhamhadencouragedthatenterprisetoo,andyetsomehowpoorEvanshadendedbydyingathomedeucedlyhardup.Hisson,theysaid,wassqueezingoiloutofcocoa-nutsforalivingonsomeGod-forsakenisletoftheIndianOcean;butitwasfromthatpatentslipinalonelywoodedbaythathadsprungtheworkshopsoftheConsolidatedDocksCompany,withitsthreegravingbasinscarvedoutofsolidrock,itswharves,itsjetties,itselectric-lightplant,itssteam-powerhouses—withitsgiganticsheer-legs,fittolifttheheaviestweightevercarriedafloat,andwhoseheadcouldbeseenlikethetopofaqueerwhitemonumentpeepingoverbushypointsoflandandsandypromontories,asyouapproachedtheNewHarborfromthewest.
Therehadbeenatimewhenmencounted:therewerenotsomanycarriagesinthecolonythen,thoughMr.Denham,hefancied,hadabuggy.AndCaptainWhalleyseemedtobesweptoutofthegreatavenuebytheswirlofamentalbackwash.Herememberedmuddyshores,aharborwithoutquays,theonesolitarywoodenpier(butthatwasapublicwork)juttingoutcrookedly,thefirstcoal-shedserectedonMonkeyPoint,thatcaughtfiremysteriouslyandsmolderedfordays,sothatamazedshipscameintoaroadsteadfullofsulphuroussmoke,andthesunhungblood-redatmidday.
