Кінець рабства
II
Tohimithadremainedamarvelofpainting,thehighestachievementoftasteandskill;andastooldSwinburne,hismate,everytimehecamedowntohismealshestoodtransfixedwithadmirationbeforetheprogressofthework.Youcouldalmostsmelltheseroses,hedeclared,sniffingthefaintflavorofturpentinewhichatthattimepervadedthesaloon,and(asheconfessedafterwards)madehimsomewhatlessheartythanusualintacklinghisfood.Buttherewasnothingofthesorttointerferewithhisenjoymentofhersinging.“Mrs.Whalleyisaregularout-and-outnightingale,sir,”hewouldpronouncewithajudicialairafterlisteningprofoundlyovertheskylighttotheveryendofthepiece.Infineweather,intheseconddog-watch,thetwomencouldhearhertrillsandrouladesgoingontotheaccompanimentofthepianointhecabin.OntheverydaytheygotengagedhehadwrittentoLondonfortheinstrument;buttheyhadbeenmarriedforoverayearbeforeitreachedthem,comingoutroundtheCape.ThebigcasemadepartofthefirstdirectgeneralcargolandedinHong-kongharbor—aneventthattothemenwhowalkedthebusyquaysofto-dayseemedashazilyremoteasthedarkagesofhistory.ButCaptainWhalleycouldinahalfhourofsolitudeliveagainallhislife,withitsromance,itsidyl,anditssorrow.Hehadtoclosehereyeshimself.Shewentawayfromundertheensignlikeasailor’swife,asailorherselfatheart.Hehadreadtheserviceoverher,outofherownprayer-book,withoutabreakinhisvoice.
