Кінець рабства
V
Heproceededtogiveinstancesofwhatwasexpectedofhim;andhisthickvoicedrowsedinthestillairliketheobstinatedroningofanenormousbumble-bee.CaptainWhalleydidnotknowwhatwastheforceortheweaknessthatpreventedhimfromsayinggood-nightandwalkingaway.Itwasasthoughhehadbeentootiredtomaketheeffort.Howqueer.MorequeerthananyofNed’sinstances.Orwasitthatoverpoweringsenseofidlenessalonethatmadehimstandthereandlistentothesestories.NothingveryrealhadevertroubledNedEliott;andgraduallyheseemedtodetectdeepin,asifwrappedupinthegrosswheezyrumble,somethingoftheclearheartyvoiceoftheyoungcaptainoftheRingdove.Hewonderedifhetoohadchangedtothesameextent;anditseemedtohimthatthevoiceofhisoldchumhadnotchangedsoverymuch—thatthemanwasthesame.Notabadfellowthepleasant,jollyNedEliott,friendly,welluptohisbusiness—andalwaysabitofahumbug.Herememberedhowheusedtoamusehispoorwife.Shecouldreadhimlikeanopenbook.WhentheCondorandtheRingdovehappenedtobeinporttogether,shewouldfrequentlyaskhimtobringCaptainEliotttodinner.Theyhadnotmetoftensincethoseolddays.Notonceinfiveyears,perhaps.Heregardedfromunderhiswhiteeyebrowsthismanhecouldnotbringhimselftotakeintohisconfidenceatthisjuncture;andtheotherwentonwithhisintimateoutpourings,andasremotefromhishearerasthoughhehadbeentalkingonahill-topamileaway.
HewasinabitofaquandarynowastothesteamerSofala.
