Читать книгу Classics fantasy – 10 - A. Belyaev - Страница 9

On the Island of the Lost Ships there were quite good means of communication.

Having got over through an old three-deck frigate, Ternip who was going ahead brought captives to the road: it were the bridges thrown between the ships and over the failed decks. Along this road some wire attached to small columns and the remained masts lasted.

– Here, here! Do not stumble, Ms. – he kindly addressed Ms. Kingman. It was followed by Gatling and Simpkins. Gloomy Flores, having pulled a sombrero to eyebrows, concluded a procession.

Halfway to them the inhabitants dressed in the tatters all which acquired suntanned began to meet: blond inhabitants of the North, swarty southerners, several Blacks, three Chinese… All of them with greedy curiosity looked at new inhabitants of the Island.

Among small sailing vessels of different eras and the people, in the center of the Island, the big, quite well remained frigate Elizabeth rose.

– The residence of the governor – Ternip respectfully said.

On the deck of this “residence” there was something like guard of honor: six sailors with guns in hands, in identical and quite decent suits.

The governor received guests in a big cabin.

After the depressing type of the destroyed ships this cabin involuntarily struck.

It had quite inhabited appearance and was removed almost magnificently. Only some diversity of style said that here pulled down everything that found the best by the ships which beat to this strange Island.

Expensive Persian carpets covered a floor. On consoles there were several good Chinese vases. Dark walls with carved eaves of a black oak were covered with fine pictures of the Dutch, Spanish and Italian masters: Velasquez, Ribeiro, Rubens, Titian, Flemish landscape writer Teynyer. Right there was an etude of the dog doing a rack, and nearby, breaking style, the fine Japanese picture embroidered with silk, representing in style Gokpan a crane on showered with snow to a bough of a tree and a mountain Fujiyama cone hung.

On a big round table there were ancient Venetian cut vases of the sixteenth century, the French bronze candelabrums of times of the Directory and several rare pink sinks. The heavy carved furniture fitted by imprinted pigskin with gold rims at the edges, gave to a cabin a solid look.

Прислонясь to a bookcase, there was a governor Ostrova – the captain Feargus Sleyton.

It favourably differed from other inhabitants in strong addition, the vykholenny, well shaved face and quite decent captain’s suit.

A little flat nose, heavy chin, sensual mouth made not absolutely pleasant impression. His gray cold eyes directed on comers. He silently and quietly looked at them, as if studying them and weighing something. It was the look of the person who got used to dispose of destiny of people, without paying attention to their personal desires, tastes and interests. Having thrown a cursory glance on Simpkinsa and, obviously, without having considered it noteworthy, he long looked at Ms. Kingman, transferred a view of Gatlinga and again to Kingman…

This silent survey confused Viviana and began to annoy Gatlinga.

– May I introduce myself: Redzhinald Gatling, Ms. Vivian Kingman, Mr. Jim Simpkins. Passengers of the steamship “Veniamin Franklin” which crashed.

Sleyton, without paying attention to Gatlinga, still continued to look at Ms. Kingman. Then he approached it, kindly greeted, carelessly gave a hand to Gatlingu and Simpkins and invited to sit down.

– Yes, I know – he spoke – I know.

The Gatling was extraordinary surprised when Sleyton precisely specified where and when their steamship crashed. None of them spoke about it to islanders.

Sleyton addressed almost only Ms. Kingman.

– If the case brought you on this sad Island, Ms. Kingman, then we, islanders, have to thank only the lucky stars for its fine gift – Sleyton released rather heavy compliment even without smile upon the face.

– Alas, I am not inclined to thank the lucky stars which so disposed of me – Ms. Kingman answered.

– Who knows, who knows? – mysteriously Sleyton answered. – Here not so badly is, Ms. as can seem from the first. You play music? You sing?

– Yes…

– Perfectly. Perfectly. Here you will find a fine erarovsky grand piano and rich musical library. There are enough books too. Among our islanders there are interesting people. Here at least this Ternip. However, it decently fell, but he saw much, knows much and once was well placed. Now it is ridiculous, but nevertheless is interesting. Then Liu-ders, German. This is our historian and the scientist. He studies shipbuilding history, our Island – the real museum, isn’t that so?

– Shipbuilding history? It is interesting – told Gatling.

– It is related to your specialty? – carelessly Sleyton asked, having looked at him squinted.

– Yes, I am a shipbuilding engineer – Gatling answered.

Ms. Kingman with astonishment looked at it. She also did not know about it.

– There now and you will have an interesting interlocutor, Mr…

– Gatling.

– Mr. Gatling… Людерс brought together the most interesting library from ship magazines and posthumous notes of all dead by the ships surrounding us. Well… I do not advise this material to read… However, it would be enough for ten novelists, but it is too gloomy, too. The Sargasso Sea will seem to you after reading this library one of circles of dantovsky Hell.

– And what, by these ships there is probably a lot of and… rarities of everyones found? – squoze the word and Simpkins.

Sleyton looked at Simpkins more attentively and, having noted some observation or a conclusion in memory, answered:

– Yes, is and … – he purposely made the same pause, as well as Simpkins – rarities. We have the whole museum. I will show it to you somehow if you are interested in rarities.

But what, unfortunately, lacks us – Sleyton addressed Ms. Kingman again – so it women’s society. With the death of my late wife – Sleyton sighed – on the Island there were only two women: Maggie Flores and Ida Dode, or Ternip, as call at us her husband. This is the old, respectable woman. I will provide you it to cares.

– To eat it is given – the Black footman who is dressed up on the occasion of arrival of new settlers in a dress coat and white gloves declared.

– I ask you to eat on a housewarming – and the governor led guests to the dining room where well served table was laid.

During a breakfast Sleyton once again surprised with Gatlinga the awareness on what becomes on light. Sleyton knew the latest world news.

The governor noticed amazed looks and for the first time fatly laughed:

– We if you want, Robinzona. But Robinzona of the twentieth century. You noticed the wires attached to masts and columns? The island of the Lost Ships has telephone communication. We could arrange also electric lighting, but we do not have fuel. But we have the radio-receiving station and even a loudspeaker. We got all this on the installed radio vessels beaten to the Island in recent years. You wish to listen? – and Sleyton put the radio-receiving device in action.

And in a cabin of an old frigate, among the Island of the Lost Ships, the fashionable song executed in New York by the famous singer who was heard more than once by Ms. Kingman suddenly was heard.

Never before sounds of songs so shook it.

Chapter 9