Кінець рабства
I
,andendsbyrecommendingitwarmlytosailingvesselsleavingtheChinaportsforthesouthinthemonthsfromDecembertoAprilinclusive.
Thiswastheclearestgainhehadoutoflife.Nothingcouldrobhimofthiskindoffame.ThepiercingoftheIsthmusofSuez,likethebreakingofadam,hadletinupontheEastafloodofnewships,newmen,newmethodsoftrade.IthadchangedthefaceoftheEasternseasandtheveryspiritoftheirlife;sothathisearlyexperiencesmeantnothingwhatevertothenewgenerationofseamen.
Inthosebygonedayshehadhandledmanythousandsofpoundsofhisemployers’moneyandofhisown;hehadattendedfaithfully,asbylawashipmasterisexpectedtodo,totheconflictinginterestsofowners,charterers,andunderwriters.Hehadneverlostashiporconsentedtoashadytransaction;andhehadlastedwell,outlastingintheendtheconditionsthathadgonetothemakingofhisname.Hehadburiedhiswife(intheGulfofPetchili),hadmarriedoffhisdaughtertothemanofherunluckychoice,andhadlostmorethananamplecompetenceinthecrashofthenotoriousTravancoreandDeccanBankingCorporation,whosedownfallhadshakentheEastlikeanearthquake.Andhewassixty-fiveyearsold.
