Кінець рабства
VIII
“Idon’tknowwhattothink.Idobelieveyouaretryingtofrightenme.Youverynearlyplantedheronthebarforatleasttwelvehours,besidesgettingtheengineschokedwithmud.Shipscan’taffordtolosetwelvehoursonatripnowadays—asyououghttoknowverywell,anddoknowverywelltobesure,only...”
Hisslowvolubility,thesidewayscraningsofhisneck,theblackglancesoutoftheverycornersofhiseyes,leftCaptainWhalleyunmoved.Helookedatthedeckwithaseverefrown.Massywaitedforsomelittletime,thenbegantothreatenplaintively.
“Youthinkyou’vegotmeboundhandandfootinthatagreement.Youthinkyoucantormentmeinanywayyouplease.Ah!Butrememberithasanothersixweekstorunyet.There’stimeformetodismissyoubeforethethreeyearsareout.Youwilldoyetsomethingthatwillgivemethechancetodismissyou,andmakeyouwaitatwelvemonthforyourmoneybeforeyoucantakeyourselfoffandpulloutyourfivehundred,andleavemewithoutapennytogetthenewboilersforher.Yougloatoverthatidea—don’tyou?Idobelieveyousitheregloating.It’sasifIhadsoldmysoulforfivehundredpoundstobeeverlastinglydamnedintheend....”
Hepaused,withoutapparentexasperation,thencontinuedevenly—
“...Withtheboilerswornoutandthesurveyhangingovermyhead,CaptainWhalley—CaptainWhalley,Isay,whatdoyoudowithyourmoney?Youmusthavestacksofmoneysomewhere—amanlikeyoumust.Itstandstoreason.Iamnotafool,youknow,CaptainWhalley—partner.
