Копи царя Соломона
The Legend of Solomon’s Mines
‘Untieit,’hesaid.Ididso,andextractedabitoftornyellowlinenonwhichsomethingwaswritteninrustyletters. Insidethisragwasapaper.
"Thenhewentonfeebly,forhewasgrowingweak: ‘Thepaperhasallthatisonthelinen.Ittookmeyearstoread. Listen:myancestor,apoliticalrefugeefromLisbon,andoneofthefirstPortuguesewholandedontheseshores,wrotethatwhenhewasdyingonthosemountainswhichnowhitefooteverpressedbeforeorsince. HisnamewasJosédaSilvestra,andhelivedthreehundredyearsago. Hisslave,whowaitedforhimonthissideofthemountains,foundhimdead,andbroughtthewritinghometoDelagoa. Ithasbeeninthefamilyeversince,butnonehavecaredtoreadit,tillatlastIdid. AndIhavelostmylifeoverit,butanothermaysucceed,andbecometherichestmanintheworld—therichestmanintheworld. Onlygiveittonoone,senor;goyourself!’
"Thenhebegantowanderagain,andinanhouritwasallover.
"Godresthim!hediedveryquietly,andIburiedhimdeep,withbigbouldersonhisbreast;soIdonotthinkthatthejackalscanhavedughimup. AndthenIcameaway."
"Ay,butthedocument?"saidSirHenry,inatoneofdeepinterest.
"Yes,thedocument;whatwasinit?"addedthecaptain.
"Well,gentlemen,ifyoulikeIwilltellyou. IhavenevershowedittoanybodyyetexcepttoadrunkenoldPortuguesetraderwhotranslateditforme,andhadforgottenallaboutitbythenextmorning.
