Читать книгу Classics fantasy – 10 - A. Belyaev - Страница 11

The sun fell for the horizon, lighting with red beams the bright green surface of the Sargasso Sea and the Island of the Lost Ships with its wood of masts. This deformed by storms, iskroshenny time the wood, its broken boughs yards, shreds of sails, rare as the last leaves – all this could bring into despondency of the most cheerful person.

But professor Lyuders felt here perfectly as the scientist-archeologist in the favourite museum of antiquities.

Having taken seat on the deck of the Dutch caravel, he with enthusiasm told Gatlingu, showing to a broad gesture around:

– Here, before your eyes, all history of shipbuilding. You cannot imagine what there are historical jewelry here. Over there, at the wheel steamship of last century, the ship of a dokolumbovsky era is seen. With such wheel floated in the ocean! And there, behind a three-deck brig, the pearl of my museum is stored: the Scandinavian single-masted nine-oar vessel of the tenth century from west banks of Greenland. In immemorial times it was thrown out by a storm on fragments of earlier lost ships and therefore perfectly remained. Look at its beautiful extended form, with the sharp raised stern and higher nose topped with the carved head not birds, not a dragon. What destinies it got here? What madly brave people were let in this fragile boat in far swimming? And there, below, in motionless cold depths, likely, ruins of the Phoenician and Egyptian ships, and who knows, perhaps, here, under us lie, the fleet of great Atlantis, among the wood of seaweed and columns of the died civilization is based?

– Mass of Gatling! The captain Feargus Sleyton asks you to welcome to him.

The Gatling saw the half-naked Black whose black body got in beams setting the sun a shade of old bronze.

– What it is necessary for it?

– Asks to welcome to it – the Black repeated.

The Gatling reluctantly rose and went on an unsteady planked footway to “residence” of the governor.

Sleyton accepted it, standing in the usual pose.

– The Gatling, I need to talk to you. You love Ms. Kingman? – it asked Gatlingu an unexpected question.

– I do not consider it necessary to answer you! It concerns only me!

– You are mistaken! It concerns also me!

– Really? Then I can report that I personally as speak, have no Views on Ms. Kingman. We are with it friends, and I deeply respect her. But the same friendship imposes on me and some duties…

– In what they consist?

– That I will allow to dispose to nobody of destiny of Ms. Kingman against her good will.

– Do not forget, Gatling that here I have the privilege to allow something or not to allow. Only I! – And after a pause he added: – Here that, Gatling! I have an opportunity to bring you to coast of the Azores. I will be able to provide very solidly you on the road.

Gatling all reddened for anger and clenched fists.

– To be silent! – he shouted. – You dare to offer me a bribe? You dare to think that I am capable to betray the person for money? – And after these words it snatched on Sleyton.

Sleyton reflected blow and blew a whistle. Ten different races ragamuffins making bodyguard of Sleyton rushed to Gatlinga because of the opened doors.

The Gatling rejected them extensively, but fight was unequal. In a few minutes it was strong connected.

– To throw it into a dark punishment cell! By the way, arrest also Simpkinsa!

And when Gatlinga took away, Sleyton asked one of servants whether everything is ready to a ceremony of the choice of the groom.

– Perfectly. So, today at nine in the evening!

* * *

The big hall of a saloon was decorated wonderfully well. Walls dazzled with the flags of all nations taken from the lost ships and pieces of color matter. Through all room, up and down, garlands of seaweed lasted. On air these seaweed quickly grew brown and had quite pathetic appearance, but what to do, other greens could not be got. But on tables several bouquets of the large white colors reminding water lilies flaunted. The multi-colored lamps suspended to a ceiling supplemented furniture. The long table was filled with cold dishes, wine and even bottles of champagne.

The population of the Island literally was rushed off the feet since the morning.

By the evening it was impossible to recognize all these pathetic ragamuffins.

Each of them in a treasured trunk had quite decent suit. They had never before a shave so carefully, did not brush with such diligence the hair which weaned from a brush and a comb, never exhausted so much soap and waters and never so long stared at themselves in splinters of mirrors…

These splinters were reflected by the most various persons: and black as soot, the shining face of the Black, both narrow eyes of the zheltolitsy Chinese, and corroded I will merge and winds a face of the old old salt, and a bright red face of the Indian with intricate jewelry in ears.

But all of them – old and young, white and black – thought of one:

– The right, I am not bad! You never can tell! And who knows the mysteries of whimsical heart of the woman?

In a word, each of them how chances were small, cherished hope to take the place of the groom.

In the middle of a saloon the tribune was erected.

Here, on this eminence, exactly at nine in the evening in a white dress, as well as it is necessary to the bride, Ms. Kingman with the accompanying her Ida Dode and Maggie Flores was built.

At its emergence burst chorus. This singing did not differ in symmetry, it for a musical ear of Viviana was even awful, but choristers could not be reproached with a lack of enthusiasm. Lamps shook and flags when several tens of hoarse and hoarse voices roared waved and roared: “Glory, glory, glory!”

Pale, uneasy and gloomy, “bride” rose by a high scaffold.

Sleyton addressed it with the speech beseeming a case. Pointed out “firmness” of the law that each woman entering on the Island of the Lost Ships has to choose to herself the husband.

– Perhaps, Ms., this law will seem to you severe. But it is necessary and, eventually, is fair. To the publication of this law the question was resolved by the right of force, knifing between applicants. And the population of the Island perished, as from epidemic…

Yes, all this was, maybe, and reasonably, but from it it was not easier than Ms. Kingman. Her eyes involuntarily looked for supports. But she did not see either Gatlinga, or even Simpkins among attendees. Sleyton noticed this look and smiled.

Each applicant had to approach with bow the bride and wait for the answer. The bride answered with the movement of the head “yes” or “no”.

One by one grooms stretched… All this chain excited at Ms. Kingman only horror, disgust, contempt, sometimes and an involuntary smile when, for example, before it appeared with a stick in a hand, “in the best look”, the most ancient settler Ostrova – Italian Giulio Bocco.

It is necessary to tell that Sleyton was afraid in this Mathusela’s soul as competitors. Really, Bokko had chances. Vivian, looking at him, slowed down with the answer, as if considering something, but then also made negative gesture the head and that, without knowing that, saved Bokko’s life as this short minute of fluctuation Feargus Sleyton already decided to get rid of Bokko if happiness falls to its lot. All defiled before Ms. Kingman. The last Sleyton appeared…

But Ms. Kingman, having slipped an eye on its figure, resolutely shook the head:

– No.

– Wow! Here so piece! What now to do? – exclamations were heard.

Sleyton was enraged, but constrained himself.

– Ms. Kingman did not wish to choose none of us – he told with external tranquility. – But it cannot repeal our laws. It is necessary to change only a way of the choice. I offer here that: Ms. Kingman has to become my wife. If someone wishes to challenge it from me, let leaves, and we will try forces. Who will win, that also will receive it. – And Sleyton, having quickly rolled up sleeves, became in a fighting pose.

Minute passed in waiting silence.

And suddenly at the general laughter the old man Bokko, having thrown off a suit, safely rushed to Sleyton. The crowd surrounded them. It was visible that Bokko was once good boxer. It managed to reflect several blows of Sleyton dexterously. Time, on the third attack, he struck quite telling blow to Sleyton in a jaw from below, but right there swept on a floor from strong blow in a breast. It was won.

After it there was a new applicant – Irish O’Gara. It was hefty, broad-shouldered small and was considered as one of the best boxers.

Fight ran high with a new force. But Sleyton, strong, quiet and methodical, mastered also this opponent soon. Being covered with blood, O’Gara lay on a floor, spitting out the beaten-out teeth.

The third rival was not…

The victory remained for Sleyton, and he approached Ms. Kingman and gave it a hand. Viviana reeled and grasped the old woman’s hand Dode-Ternip.

Chapter 11