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
NEW LIFE
The female part of the population of the Island accepted Ms. Kingman with the most live participation.
If from Maggie Flores at Ms. Kingman friendly relations of contemporaries, then old, strict by sight were established, but the kind wife of Aristide Ternipa-Dode – Ida – took at once patronizing tone of careful mother concerning Ms. Kingman. Women was so a little on the Island! Besides Mrs. Dode thoroughly assumed that Viviana will need her protection. And it accepted the girl under the guardianship.
Maggie Flores in the first day told Vivian Kingman the sad story. When the destiny abandoned her on the Island, she married, with observance of the “laws” and ceremonialisms existing on the Island, the governor Feargus Sleyton. From this marriage she gave birth to the child who was the only representative of new generation on the Island now. Feargus was rough and is even tough with it, but she suffered… During the German war on the Island brought the German submarine and on it three who survived: the sailor, the captain and the young Frenchwoman from the passenger steamship sunk by the same submarine.
When the Frenchwoman appeared on the Island, Feargus wanted to make her the wife. Between Feargus and the German captain of the submarine there was a quarrel. The German was killed, and the Frenchwoman became Sleyton’s wife. Maggie got a divorce and it was the wife of Flores soon.
It is rough too, but he loves Maggie, is strong and does not give her to anybody in offense.
Then… then the Frenchwoman died. Sleyton said that she incidentally got poisoned with fish poison. But on the Island said that she committed suicide as she loved the German captain killed by Feargus. And widowed Feargus Sleyton wished to return Maggie again. But Flores told that, having only crossed through his corpse, Sleyton will manage to receive Maggie back.
For Sleyton to cross through a corpse as easily, as through a log. It would not stop before it. But Flores part was taken by all population of the Island. The governor understood that with it it is not necessary to joke, and receded.
– And I remained the wife of Flores – finished the story of Maggie. – And here such minute, dear Ms. Viviana, you were… You understand all difficulty of your situation? If Feargus Sleyton is pleasant to you, well, then everything is all right. And if is not present or your heart is occupied by another – and she significantly looked at Viviana – that be careful. Be very careful with Sleyton!.
Ms. Kingman reddened.
– My heart is not occupied – she answered – but I am not going to become Sleyton’s wife.
The conversation passed to other subjects. Ms. Dode told Vivian about how she is to them on the Island.
– We have quite large supplies of food, mainly canned food. But as it is unknown whether these stocks will be replenished, they are spent only as a last resort, especially flour. Bread, wine, canned and vegetable meat are given only by the patient. As ordinary food serves fish hooked in the sea. From monotony in food quite often there are diseases of a scurvy. Such patients are given a ration from a warehouse.
– Tell, but all these ships cannot sink?
– Our professor Lyuders says that here small depth. The ships sank several centuries here, lifting a bottom. And now we are on the most real Island from the lost ships. We have loved places of walks, the streets and the areas here – on decks of the big ships, “mountain” and “valley” … With us there live six monkeys, several dogs and the tamed birds whom we caught when they had a rest on the Island during flight. – The old woman sighed. – What to tell? The person gets used to everything! Nevertheless it would be desirable to see still the earth and to bury the old bones in the earth…
Maggie’s fears came true. Ms. Kingman was necessary to face Sleyton soon.
He invited her to himself to evening tea. And when it came, he almost without preface made it the proposal to become his wife. She answered with resolute refusal. Sleyton began to ask it, then to threaten:
– Understand that it is inevitable. And in your interests. With me you will be in safety, you will be provided to all necessary. For you there will be a fine leaving… I know, your father is rich. But all its riches – pennies in comparison with what I have. I will show you full chests of gold, a heap of diamonds and pearls; you the whole handfuls will take emeralds from my treasures. Everything will be yours.
– I am not a child to play stones. And here all these treasures only are also fit for pouring them from a hand into a hand.
– Agree! Agree of own will, differently … – and it strong squeezed it a hand at an elbow.
– Whether I left a tray here? – having opened a door, Mrs. Dode asked suddenly and entered a cabin.
Sleyton discontentedly frowned, departed from Ms. Kingman and silently waited.
The old woman continued to dart about on a cabin. He lost patience:
– You will get out from here soon?
Mrs. Dode podbochenitsya, became in the most fighting pose, looked up and down at Sleyton from legs to the head and suddenly flew on him as the brood hen protecting the chicken:
– No, I will not clean up! No, I will not clean up until you answer me all my questions. You governor Ostrova?
– I am a governor! Further!
– You issue laws?
– I issue laws!
– Who will be to obey your laws if you the first do not execute them?
– Yes in what business, mad you the woman?
– You madman, but not I! You issued the law that each woman getting on the Island has to marry! So, well. But the woman is granted the right to freely choose to itself the husband… And you what you do?
– You overheard?
– Yes, yes, overheard and very well made! Unless so we make elections of the husband? You wanted to deceive also her and all who are not deprived of the right to count on its choice. You wanted to bypass the law, but you will not manage it. I will trumpet it on all island, and all will be against you. You did not forget history with Maggie and Flores? And so to you and last question: whether you intend to execute the law and to appoint elections of the proper husband by Viviana Kingman how it is necessary?
Feargus was angry, but felt that he should obey.
– Well!
