Читать книгу Classics fantasy – 10 - A. Belyaev - Страница 12

The Gatling sat in a dark punishment cell, considering the situation. At this time at a door someone quietly knocked.

– Mr. Gatling! It I, Aristide Ternip-Dode… How do you feel?

– I thank you, Ternip. May you tell, day now or night?

– Evening, Mr. Gatling. And, one may say, solemn evening. Ms. Kingman chooses to herself the husband… All male population participates in this ceremony, except for two married: me and Flores. Therefore also charged us watch: to me – at your camera of the conclusion, and to Flores – at Simpkins.

– Listen, Mr. Ternip, open for me a door.

– With the greatest pleasure would make it, but I cannot. I am afraid. You do not know Sleyton. He will flatten out me in flat cake and will throw on eating up to crabs.

– Be not afraid, Ternip. I pledge you the word that…

– @-@. I will not open for anything. And here, um … – and it lowered a voice – if you get out from there, then I at anything…

– Where I will get out?

Ternip lowered a voice before whisper:

– In the left corner of a cabin, at height of human growth, is such cat’s лазок, covered with a plywood plate. You draw aside a plate, well and… And opposite – Simpkins, by the way…

Ternip did not manage to finish still phrases as Gatling already feverishly rummaged hands on walls, found a plate and quickly tore off it. The ray of light got into a punishment cell, Gatling rose on hands and crept through a narrow window in a dark corridor which brought to the deck. In a wall opposite there was a same window hammered with plywood. Whether not there Simpkins is located? The Gatling tore off plywood and really uvidat the astonished face of the detective which was looking out of a window soon.

– Zhivey get out from there! It is the devil’s work! It is necessary to help out from prison of the own jailer! What you awkward! Hold my hand! Well! So! We go.

The Gatling accompanied by Simpkins entered the hall of “the choice of the bride” while Sleyton gave a hand to Ms. Kingman.

In a cabin there was a movement, then there came the waiting silence.

Ominously – the uneasy type of Gatlinga promised being present that interesting events have to be developed.

– On what elections stopped? – loudly asked Gatling, standing at a cabin threshold.

Sleyton shuddered. Hardly noticeable spasm passed on his face, but in a moment he already regained self-control. Having turned to Gatlingu, he quietly told, pointing to Ms. Kingman:

– You were late. She by right will be my wife.

– I object. You illegally imprisoned me and Simpkins and eliminated from elections.

– Any talk…

But in crowd nervousness already began. At this moment of Gatling for the first time noticed that Sleyton has the party which is ready to support him in everything, but there are also enemies. They also shouted that again comers have to be allowed to “competition”.

– Well! – Sleyton exclaimed. – Let’s prolong our competition! – And, having clenched fists, it raised them to the person Gatlinga: – You wish to try forces?

– Even I insist on it!

The crowd hooted enough.

Fight was coming hot.

– On the deck! On the deck! – voices were distributed.

All came to the deck. Outlined a circle. Enemies removed jackets and rolled up sleeves. The old man Bokko undertook a role of the arbitrator. Islanders with bated breath monitored each movement of opponents.

On this signal they at the same time met in the center of a circle. The Gatling led the hot attack. Sleyton methodically and somehow inertly beat off.

From crowd remarks were heard. In the heat of hobby began to address boxers on “you”.

– Protect forces, Gatling! You see that Sleyton wants to exhaust them at you and then to finish off!

– Fervor you will not help!

– Sleyton will take! Good fellow our Feargus! Oho, what blow!.

The more fight ran high, the moods of two hostile parties were shown more brightly. They were imperceptibly demarcated: “sleytonist” stood already behind. Hobby was so big that the crowd repeated gestures of boxers as corps de ballet repeats all a pas of the dancing-master.

The Gatling really got excited at first – his nerves were too strained. But after several mistakes he began to fight more coolly. But Feargus Sleyton, having received several blows from the opponent, got excited. Now their nervous “tone” was counterbalanced, and it was already possible to judge fighting features of the opponent.

Sleyton was stronger physically, more heavy; The Gatling, conceding in force and weight, it was unusually dexterous and quickly in the movements. Sleyton attacked less often, but is more sensitive; The Gatling struck a number of the unexpected blows confusing calculations of the opponent. The result of fight was not clear. Bokko gave a break sign. Sleytonista picked up Feargus, seated, took off a shirt and began to pound strenuously towels. The Gatling other party carefully surrounded.

After a break fight was started again, with even big exasperation. Tension of the audience was at the highest point. From outside could seem that not two persons, but all population of the Island box: all of them, repeating the movements of fighters, did attacks, retreats, squats… bent aside, threw the head in a stomach of the invisible enemy…

Fight came to an end, and this time is obvious not in favor of Gatlinga.

Sleyton, appear, was inexhaustible. He derived strength from some hidden stocks of energy and struck blows with indestructible persistence now. At Gatlinga swam away the left eye from enormous bruise, from a mouth there was blood. Several times it, appear, dead fell to the ground, but the extraordinary tension of will rose again to receive new blow. Sleytonista already triumphed a victory a roar and a rumble.

But suddenly Gatling, having collected the strength, snatched on Sleyton and struck it such blow in a jaw that Sleyton, having thrown the head, failed on a floor. However, having risen hardly, he began to recede, moving back, to a ship board, wishing to wait for several seconds to recover the breath and again to take the offensive. But Gatling as the maniac, with the mad, widely opened right eye, pressed it to a board and here struck such awful blow in a nose bridge that Sleyton, having shaken in air legs, departed overboard.

Shouts of horror and delight, derisive exclamations, laughter, applause – everything mixed up in wild cacophony.

Sleytonista hastily caught the prostrate deity from green seaweed…

When it appeared on the deck, new explosion of shouts and laughter met him. All wet, entangled by seaweed, he resembled the drowned man who stayed kind days in water. His face swelled up and was blood-stained. Despite it, Sleyton tried to keep advantage.

The unsteady gait he approached Gatlingu and gave it a hand:

– You won! It is yours!

The answer of Gatlinga surprised all attendees:

– No, it not mine. I do not wish to impose myself violently at all and to become her husband only because successfully gave blow in your nose bridge!

The crowd calmed down, waiting, what will be farther. Sleyton flushed:

– Devil take it! Whether it will come to an end sometime? There is enough! Ms. Kingman! As the governor Ostrova, I suggest you to make a choice immediately, or I will order to cast lots!

– Lot! Lot!. – the crowd cried.

Ms. Kingman shuddered, unsteadily approached Gatlingu and offered to him a hand.

– At last – with a vinegary smile Sleyton told and approached to congratulate it.

– Ms. Kingman – whispered to her on an ear of Gatling – you are absolutely free, and I do not raise any claim to you. I do not dare to think that you linked life with destiny… the criminal – he added even more quietly.