Кінець рабства
VI
Theotherpuffedjetsofsmoke;thensuddenly—
“IcouldneverunderstandthatnewmaniaofyoursofhavingthisMalayhereforyourshadow,partner.”
CaptainWhalleygotupfromthechairinallhisimposingstatureandwalkedacrosstothebinnacle,holdingsuchanunswervingcoursethattheotherhadtobackawayhurriedly,andremainedasifintimidated,withthepipetremblinginhishand.“Walkovermenow,”hemutteredinasortofastoundedanddiscomfitedwhisper.Thenslowlyanddistinctlyhesaid—
“I—am—not—dirt.”Andthenaddeddefiantly,“Asyouseemtothink.”
TheSerangjerkedout—
“Seethepalmsnow,Tuan.”
CaptainWhalleystrodeforwardtotherail;buthiseyes,insteadofgoingstraighttothepoint,withtheassuredkeenglanceofasailor,wanderedirresolutelyinspace,asthoughhe,thediscovererofnewroutes,hadlosthiswayuponthisnarrowsea.
Anotherwhiteman,themate,cameuponthebridge.Hewastall,young,lean,withamustachelikeatrooper,andsomethingmaliciousintheeye.Hetookupapositionbesidetheengineer.CaptainWhalley,withhisbacktothem,inquired—
“What’sonthelog?”
“Eighty-five,”answeredthematequickly,andnudgedtheengineerwithhiselbow.
CaptainWhalley’smuscularhandssqueezedtheironrailwithanextraordinaryforce;hiseyesglaredwithanenormouseffort;heknittedhiseyebrows,theperspirationfellfromunderhishat,—andinafaintvoicehemurmured,“Steadyher,Serang—whensheisontheproperbearing
