Конец рабства
X
Hehadavagueconsciousnessofnotbeingmuchlikedbyhisfellowsinthispartoftheworld;inexplicablyenough,forhehaddonenothingtothem.Envy,hesupposed.Peoplewerealwaysdownonacleverchapwhomadenobonesabouthisdeterminationtogeton.TodoyourdutyandcountonthegratitudeofthatbruteMassywouldbesheerfolly.Hewasabadlot.Unmanly!Aviciousman!Bad!Bad!Abrute!Abrutewithoutasparkofanythinghumanabouthim;withoutsomuchassimplecuriosityeven,orelsesurelyhewouldhaverespondedinsomewaytoallthesehintshehadbeengiven....Suchinsensibilitywasalmostmysterious.Massy’sstateofexasperationseemedtoSternetohavemadehimstupidbeyondtheordinarysillinessofshipowners.
Sterne,meditatingontheembarrassmentsofthatstupidity,forgothimselfcompletely.Hisstony,unwinkingstarewasfixedontheplanksofthedeck.
Theslightquiveragitatingthewholefabricoftheshipwasmoreperceptibleinthesilentriver,shadedandstilllikeaforestpath.TheSofala,glidingwithanevenmotion,hadpassedbeyondthecoast-beltofmudandmangroves.Theshoresrosehigher,infirmslopingbanks,andtheforestofbigtreescamedowntothebrink.
