Кінець рабства
V
Andthereflectionthatamanwhohadconfessedtoreceivingthatverymorningapresumablylargesumofmoneywasnotlikelytospringuponhimademandforasmallloanputhimentirelyathiseaseagain.Therehadcomealongpauseintheirtalk,however,andnotknowinghowtobeginagain,hegrowledoutsoberly,“Weoldfellowsoughttotakearestnow.”
“Thebestthingforsomeofuswouldbetodieattheoar,”CaptainWhalleysaidnegligently.
“Come,now.Aren’tyouabittiredbythistimeofthewholeshow?”mutteredtheothersullenly.
“Areyou?”
CaptainEliottwas.Infernallytired.Heonlyhungontohisberthsolonginordertogethispensiononthehighestscalebeforehewenthome.Itwouldbenobetterthanpoverty,anyhow;still,itwastheonlythingbetweenhimandtheworkhouse.Andhehadafamily.Threegirls,asWhalleyknew.Hegave“Harry,oldboy,”tounderstandthatthesethreegirlswereasourceofthegreatestanxietyandworrytohim.Enoughtodriveamandistracted.
“Why?Whathavetheybeendoingnow?”askedCaptainWhalleywithasortofamusedabsent-mindedness.
“Doing!Doingnothing.That’sjustit.Lawn-tennisandsillynovelsfrommorningtonight....”
Ifoneofthematleasthadbeenaboy.Butallthree!And,asill-luckwouldhaveit,theredidnotseemtobeanydecentyoungfellowsleftintheworld.Whenhelookedaroundintheclubhesawonlyalotofconceitedpopinjaystooselfishtothinkofmakingagoodwomanhappy.Extremeindigencestaredhiminthefacewithallthatcrowdtokeepathome.
