All with curiosity started considering a sea monster. All fish as though consisted of a huge mouth with big teeth, not less huge bag stomach and a tail. On a chin of this monster there was a branchy appendage (for a bait of fishes as Thomson explained), and on the top jaw – something like a trunk with a thickening in the middle.
– It is the shining body, so to speak, own electric lighting.
– And why to it lighting? – asked Simpkins.
– It lives in depth where the beam of the sun does not get.
– To live in an eternal gloom – too pleasure! Managed them to choose such unsuccessful apartment!
– Will even more surprise you if I tell that they test for each square centimeter of the surface weight in several honeycombs of kilograms. But they do not even notice it and, believe, feel perfectly.
– Look, look, sargassa! – Viviana exclaimed suddenly, running up to a handrail.
On the blue surface of the ocean the separate rounded kisteobrazny bushes painted in orange and golden and olive colors really were seen.
All were delighted to sargassa as though they met the old acquaintance.
Between August second and sixth the ship went already near Bermuda. On the third of August just separate bushes of seaweed floated. They were an oval form, but under easy whiff of the southern wind were extended in long strips. The Gatling burned from impatience rather to try the technical devices on continuous sargassa. At last continuous meadows of sargass appeared on the seventh of August. Now, on the contrary, the blue smooth surface of the ocean looked out islands among an olive carpet.,
– Here it, “the curtailed sea” as his ancient Greeks called – Thomson told.
The Gatling with nervousness watched how it will cope “Defiant” with this web of seaweed. But its nervousness was vain: the ship almost did not reduce speed. It cut sargassa, and they parted, baring the long dispersing blue films of water on both parties of the ship.
– Perhaps, your precautions were excessive – professor told. – Eventually, for modern vessels of a sargassa absolutely do not constitute such danger any more. And in general their “impassability” is exaggerated.
Having caught several seaweed, Thomson began to consider them. Viviana observed too.
– Here you see – he explained to her – white stalks? These are already died off. Sargassa, broken by wind and taken by a current in the Caribbean Sea, rush on the North. Five and a half months are required that they passed a way from Florida to the Azores. And during this time they not only keep life, but also ability of fructification. Some sargassa make the whole circular trip, returning home to themselves, to the Caribbean Sea, and then make a secondary trip. Others get in a circular ring and die off.
– Ah! What is it? Live! – screamed from Vivian’s unexpectedness.
Thomson burst out laughing.
– It is the Australian fad-tryapichnik, and these are aktenna-riya – the most curious inhabitants of the Sargasso Sea. You see how they adapted? Not to distinguish them from an alga!
Really, painted in brown color, speckled by white spots, with the torn shapes of a body, ak-tennariya extremely resembled seaweed of the Sargasso Sea.
Chapter 17
NEW GOVERNOR
On the Island of the Lost Ships from the moment of departure of the submarine of an event took its course.
When the captain Sleyton fell, struck by a bullet, Flores silently stood over the lying blood-stained governor, then suddenly pulled Maggie inclined over it a hand and is short, but imperatively told it:
– Leave!
The crying Maggie, having pressed the child, left.
Flores bent to the captain with an evil sparkle in the blinked eyes.
The captain Sleyton was his rival in love and in ambitious plans. They had old scores. Having sated with a type of the prostrate, dying enemy, Flores suddenly raised Sleyton and pushed off it in water.
– It will be so best of all – he told and, having addressed islanders, shouted: – Hey, you! The captain Feargus Sleyton is killed, and his body is buried by me! The island of the Lost Ships has to elect the new governor. I offer myself. Who objects?
Islanders gloomy were silent.
– It is accepted. Pick up wounded and guns. We go!
And he walked towards the new residence, rejoicing that everything was resolved so soon. However his pleasure was incomplete. Some unpleasant, disturbing, still not clear thought disturbed it as a silent toothache which just about will pass into sharp. Flores walked on the familiar “streets”, a planked footway thrown through the ships crossed the semi-decayed decks, rose by “mountains” of the big ships which are highly sitting in water, went down to “valleys” of broad-bottomed vessels, and some uneasy not clear thought everything drilled his brain…
Having tarried at one transition, he heard voices of Irish O’Gara and the old man Bokko following it.
– As a dog, in water … – Bokko said.
– It cannot wait for it! – O’Gara answered.
Voices broke off.
“And so it that – Flores thought, getting aboard an old frigate. – Discontent!” And Flores remembered the gloomy silence accompanying it election.
Flores was not mistaken. Even too simplified way of a funeral of the governor made an unpleasant impression on the coarsened, run wild islanders.
Flores was not silly. Approaching the governor’s residence which was by a frigate Elizabeth, the new governor already considered the plan of action.
Having entered the big, perfectly arranged cabin – the former office of the captain Sleyton – Flores fell to a deep leather chair, having collapsed with an independent and at the same time proud air. Then it loudly slapped three times in a palm just as Sleyton, is even better – more distinctly and more loudly.
On a threshold the Black appeared.
Flores Posverlil eyes his black face, but could read nothing on it.
– A bean – Flores told – where at Sleyton the clothes were stored? Spend me and show.
Bob who did not express surprise at the sight of Flores on Sleyton’s place was struck with expressly polite address of the new governor instead of former – familiar.
But in it Flores had the calculation: to show a difference of the changed situation. And he was not mistaken. The bean somehow shrank and, having hasty begun to mince to an exit, answered respectful politely:
– I ask you.
They entered the big dark cabin turned into wardrobe. Two walls were busy with cases. Nearly a half of a cabin were occupied by the huge chests of a black oak with a carving fettered by the become green copper with silver.
The Black opened sliding doors of cases. In them in a big order suits of various eras, professions, nationalities – as in wardrobe the Bolshoi opera Theatre hung.
– There are civilian suits – the Black explained, taking out the ancient frock coats smelling of dampness with high collars, wide tops, color and silk vests.
Flores negatively shook the head.
In the second case there were more modern suits: tuxedos, frock coats and even dress coats.
– Not, not.
Before clothes with sea uniform suits Flores stopped a little further. He felt a hand one jacket from fine English cloth – the captain’s suit, but, having thought of something, closed also this case.
– Not that, Bob. And all this?
– Is still here – the Black answered, showing on chests.
– Open.
Not without effort Bob lifted heavy covers. Flores was surprised, without having felt a smell of dampness and decay. Covers were so well driven that in chests was absolutely dry.
When the Black lifted the pure piece of a cloth which was accurately covering suits at Flores involuntarily exclamation escaped and his eyes inflamed. Here precious Spanish suits which breed showed that they are not less than two hundred years old were folded.
Camisoles from figured velvet (velvet) – crimson, blue, red – were embroidered by gold and showered with pearls. Cuffs and mills (big collars in several rows) from the thinnest lace, silk cords “бизетт” [1], “blonda” [2] colors of not bleached cloth – all this struck with the luxury and a subtlety of work. Women’s suits were even more magnificent. Long, with the sleeves hanging to a floor, with zubtseobrazny cuts at the edges, these bright silk, brocade and velvet dresses were heavy from the sewed emeralds, rubies, pearls…
“What wealth! – Flores thought. – And we eat one fish”.
It selected several suits:
– Carry in my office. And stockings and boots?
– Everything is. – And, being bent under weight of a burden, Bob dragged suits in Flores cabin.
Having remained one, Flores chose dark cherry, shity silver the camisole also put on.
When he looked at himself in a mirror, itself was struck with effect. It changed not only externally, but as though and internally. From where this severe advantage, this confident look, these smooth gestures?
He clapped and told the Black who with amazement stared at it:
– Invite Mrs. Maggie!
“Mrs. Maggie!” – the Black hasty started executing an order.
Flores was mistaken in effect a little: the entered Maggie outright was frightened when, having opened a cabin door, she saw shining silver and pearls of the Spanish grandee [3]. Even Flores laughter brought it into itself not at once.
– Put on rather, here your suit – Flores told, pointing to a blue dress.
Maggie dressed more than simply – in an easy blouse and a short zaplatanny skirt, hardly concerned a dress and stood in indecision.
– Well that you?
– I… I do not even know how to put on it.
To tell the truth, Flores no more it knew all difficult parts of all these “бизетт” and “блонд” and could not give it help. But the natural feeling of the woman helped Maggie to find the place of each accessory of a toilet. And while Flores corrected the ends of a scarf and tried on in front of the mirror a sword with a gold hilt, it was ready too.
Having turned back, they looked with amazement at each other, without learning and admiring.
Really, it was fine couple. Swarty, suntanned Flores was very effective.
“Devil take it! But she is directly a beauty! Where there were my eyes?” – Flores thought.
– Now it is possible to begin a reception – he told loudly and, having called the Black, gave an order to call all. It was news too. Sleyton let nobody in the office.
If to the Island of the Lost Ships suddenly there arrived people of other planet, it would make probably not bigger impression. All islanders literally hardened from surprise. Even the historian Lyuders stood, having slightly opened a mouth, with a type of extreme amazement.
When all gathered, Flores addressed with the speech:
– Citizens! Islanders! Friends! Not the feeling of personal vanity forced me to put on this suit, but desire to support nice Ostrov’s dignity of the Lost Ships… We will lift this advantage even above. Assistants are necessary for me for performance of the purposes planned by me. You, O’Gara – and Flores scanned the Irish – are appointed my personal secretary. At reports and on festivals you will be in this camisole; it goes into your full disposal. – And Flores pointed to a beautiful dark blue suit.
O’Gara densely reddened, and Flores not without pleasure noticed that the Irish is flattered.
“One rival it is less” – the new governor thought.
– You, Bokko, are appointed … – Flores rubbed a forehead – too my secretary. There is your court suit.
Bokko respectfully bowed.
“Other rival it is less – Flores noted. – Who else? Людерс? It is harmless, but after all, just in case…”
– And you, Lyuders, you the person scientific, I appoint you, um… the adviser for affairs of colonies. Your rank will suit a camisole of a black velvet with silver.
Surprising thing! Even Lyuders, still less others paying attention to the suit and going in some rags too, probably, was flattered. However appointment extremely surprised him.
– I thank for honor, but what affairs at us with colonies when we are cut off from the whole world?
– Yes, but we can expand our possession, and we will have colonies.
Islanders exchanged glances. Whether the gilded camisole of their new governor demented?
But Flores was quiet and self-confident.
– You know – it continued – that near our Island, in two kilometers other small island from the lost ships is, no more, located. It is close, but still we could not even visit it – sargassa protected it. Now we will organize an expedition and we will attach it to our possession.
All liked this invention, and islanders is noisy expressed approval.
– And one more: we have nothing to postnichat and skarednichat when we are immensely rich. All will be given new suits – for everyday life and holidays. I will give you also gun cartridges, and you will hunt birds; I think, fish bothered all. And that the bird seemed more tasty, we will bake bread and we will drink a barrel of good old Spanish wine!
– Ur-and! Long live governor Flores! – the islanders brought to the highest point of delight shouted, and O’Gara and Bokko is the loudest.
When Flores and Maggie remained one, Maggie looked at the husband with eyes in love and told:
– Listen, Flores, I did not even expect…
– What?
– What you so are able to do…
– It is good to operate? – And Flores, unsociable, eternally gloomy, gloomy Flores laughed.
Chapter 18
SMOKER OF OPIUM
Easy glaucescent fog clouded the Island of the Lost Ships. The broken masts and iron pipes of steamships as ghosts, loomed in fog.
The old man Bokko and Chinese Hao-Zhen sat on the deck of an old brigantine. The Chinese sat not movably as a figurine, having drawn in legs and having put palms of hands on knees, and looked at a tall mast.
Bokko repaired network and with boredom asked the Chinese on his homeland and close people. At last he asked the Chinese whether that was married.
Some shadow ran on a face of the Chinese.
– Was not – he answered and added more quietly: – The bride was, the good girl.
– Well and that you?
– It is impossible – a surname one…
– Relative?
– No. Just surname. Law such.
The careless question Bokko awakened some distant memories in the Chinese’s soul. It was delivered and rose.
– I will go – the Chinese declared.
– Yes where pulls you? Again you will go to smoke the dope? Sidi.
But the Chinese already incorrect, unsteady gait went on a planked footway to the remote bark.
Bokko shook the head:
– The guy will be gone. And so, to what it became similar!
Bokko was not mistaken. Hao-Zhen went to smoke opium. The Chinese somehow found a stock of this poisonous medicine in one of the old ships and since then excitedly indulged in smoking. His face turned pale, became yellow as straw, eyes deeply fell, looked wearily, without expression, hands began to shiver. When learned about his passion, to it most strictly forbade to smoke, being afraid of the fire. Still the captain Sleyton several times cruelly punished Hao-Zhenya, locked him in a hold, starved, demanding that the Chinese gave opium reserves, but could not break persistence of the Chinese. He could be killed rather, than to force to give opium. He well hid stocks and managed to smoke as soon as supervision of it weakened.
Hao-Zhen came to the old bark standing slantwise, at an angle almost in 45°. Under protection of this inclination covering it from looks of islanders it also arranged to itself (himself) курильню at the water.
He prepared by the hands shivering for nervousness everything for smoking and greedy involved sweetish smoke.
And gradually fog began to get a golden shade. Clubs of gold clouds were turned in the long film, and this not a tape, and the river, the great Blue river any more. Yellow fields, yellow rocks, the lodge hollowed in the rock with the paper dragon fluttering downwind at an entrance. The father strugat at the house, on the Chinese custom, not from himself, and to himself. Down the river the fisherman floats, standing aft and rotating an oar. All such close, familiar, native! At the river irises, fine lilac irises blossom.