Конец рабства
IX
Thechannelwasbroadandsafeenough;themainpointwastohitupontheentrancecorrectlyinthedark—forifamangothimselfinvolvedinthatstretchofbrokenwateroveryonderhewouldnevergetoutwithawholeship—ifheevergotoutatall.
ThiswasSterne’slasttrainofthoughtindependentofthegreatdiscovery.Hehadjustseentothesecuringoftheanchor,andhadremainedforwardidlingawayamomentortwo.Thecaptainwasinchargeonthebridge.Withaslightyawnhehadturnedawayfromhissurveyoftheseaandhadleanedhisshouldersagainstthefishdavit.
These,properlyspeaking,weretheverylastmomentsofeasehewastoknowonboardtheSofala.Alltheinstantsthatcameafterweretobepregnantwithpurposeandintolerablewithperplexity.Nomoreidle,randomthoughts;thediscoverywouldputthemontherack,tillsometimeshewishedtogoodnesshehadbeenfoolenoughnottomakeitatall.Andyet,ifhischancetogetonrestedonthediscoveryof“somethingwrong,”hecouldnothavehopedforagreaterstrokeofluck.
