Sharpe commanded the ship; and the rough sailors stepped like cats over
that part of the deck beneath which their unconscious captain lay. If two
men met on the quarter-deck, a look of anxious, but not hopeful, inquiry
was sure to pass between them.
Among the constant inquirers was Ramgolam. The grave Hindoo often waylaid
the surgeon at the captain's door, to get the first intelligence This
marked sympathy with a hero in extremity was hardly expected from a sage
who at the first note of war's trumpet had vanished in a meal-bag.
However, it went down to his credit. One person, however, took a dark
view of this innocent circumstance But then that hostile critic was
Vespasian, a rival in matters of tint. He exploded in one of those droll
rages darkies seem liable to: "Massa cunnel," said he, "what for dat yar
niggar always prowling about the capn's door? What for he ask so many
stupid questions? Dat ole fox arter no good: him heart so black as um
skin: dam ole niggar!"
Fullalove suggested slily that a person with a dark skin might have a
grateful heart: and the colonel, who dealt little in innuendo, said,
"Come, don't you be so hard on jet, you ebony!"
"Bery well, gemmen," replied Vespasian ceremoniously, and with seeming
acquiescence.
Pages:
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326