Кінець рабства
V
“Andit’strueenough,Harry,”rumbledCaptainEliottjudicially.“TheyaremuchmorelikelyoneandalltoowemoneytotheChinameninDenhamRoadfortheclothesontheirbacks.‘Well,’saidI,‘youmaketoomuchnoiseoveritformytaste,Mr.Massy.Goodmorning.’Hebangedthedoorafterhim;hedaredtobangmydoor,confoundhischeek!”
TheheadoftheMarinedepartmentwasoutofbreathwithindignation;thenrecollectinghimselfasitwere,“I’llendbybeinglatetodinner—yarningwithyouhere...wifedoesn’tlikeit.”
Heclamberedponderouslyintothetrap;leanedoutsideways,andonlythenwonderedwheezilywhatonearthCaptainWhalleycouldhavebeendoingwithhimselfoflate.Theyhadhadnosightofeachotherforyearsandyearstilltheotherdaywhenhehadseenhimunexpectedlyintheoffice.
Whatonearth...
CaptainWhalleyseemedtobesmilingtohimselfinhiswhitebeard.
“Theearthisbig,”hesaidvaguely.
Theother,asiftotestthestatement,staredallroundfromhisdriving-seat.TheEsplanadewasveryquiet;onlyfromafar,fromveryfar,alongwayfromtheseashore,acrossthestretchesofgrass,throughthelongrangesoftrees,camefaintlythetoot—toot—tootofthecablecarbeginningtorollbeforetheemptyperistyleofthePublicLibraryonitsthree-milejourneytotheNewHarborDocks.
“Doesn’tseemtobesomuchroomonit,”growledtheMaster-Attendant,“sincetheseGermanscamealongshoulderingusateveryturn.Itwasnotsoinourtime
