Копи царя Соломона
I Meet Sir Henry Curtis
SirHenryandCaptainGoodlookedateachother,andCaptainGoodnodded.
"Mr.Quatermain,"wentontheformer,"Iamgoingtotellyouastory,andaskyouradvice,andperhapsyourassistance. TheagentwhoforwardedmeyourlettertoldmethatImightrelyonitimplicitly,asyouwere,"hesaid,"wellknownanduniversallyrespectedinNatal,andespeciallynotedforyourdiscretion."
Ibowedanddranksomewhiskyandwatertohidemyconfusion,forIamamodestman—andSirHenrywenton.
"Mr.Nevillewasmybrother."
"Oh,"Isaid,starting, fornowIknewofwhomSirHenryhadremindedmewhenfirstIsawhim. Hisbrotherwasamuchsmallermanandhadadarkbeard,butnowthatIthoughtofit,hepossessedeyesofthesameshadeofgreyandwiththesamekeenlookinthem: thefeaturestoowerenotunlike.
"Hewas,"wentonSirHenry,"myonlyandyoungerbrother,andtillfiveyearsagoIdonotsupposethatwewereeveramonthawayfromeachother. Butjustaboutfiveyearsagoamisfortunebefellus,assometimesdoeshappeninfamilies. Wequarrelledbitterly,andIbehavedunjustlytomybrotherinmyanger. "HereCaptainGoodnoddedhisheadvigorouslytohimself. Theshipgaveabigrolljustthen,sothatthelooking-glass,whichwasfixedoppositeustostarboard,wasforamomentnearlyoverourheads,andasIwassittingwithmyhandsinmypocketsandstaringupwards,Icouldseehimnoddinglikeanything.
