Scarlet Sails / Алые паруса. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Menners realized his predicament and wanted to dive into the water and swim ashore, but this decision was too late in coming, for the boat was now spinning about near the end of the pier where the considerable depth and raging waves promised imminent death. There were only about twenty metres between Longren and Menners, who was being swept off into the stormy distance, and a rescue was still possible, for a coiled rope with a weighted end hung on the pier beside Longren. The rope was there for any boat that might land during a storm and was thrown to the boat from the pier.

“Longren!” Menners cried in terror. “Don’t just stand there! Can’t you see I’m being carried away? Throw me the line!”

Longren said nothing as he gazed calmly upon the frantic man, although he puffed harder on his pipe and then, to have a better view of what was happening, removed it from his mouth.

“Longren!” Menners pleaded. “I know you can hear me. I’ll be drowned! Save me!”

But Longren said not a word; it seemed as though he had not heard the frantic wail.

Menners sobbed in terror, he begged the sailor to run to the fishermen for help; he promised him a reward, he threatened and cursed him, but all Longren did was walk to the very edge of the pier so as not to loose the leaping, spinning boat from view too soon.

“Longren, save me!” The words came to him as they would to someone inside a house from someone on the roof.

Then, filling his lungs with air and taking a deep breath so that not a single word would be carried away by the wind, Longren shouted: “That’s how she pleaded with you! Think of it, Menners, while you’re still alive, and don’t forget!”

Then the cries stopped, and Longren went home. Assol awakened to see her father sitting lost in thought before the lamp that was now burning low.

Hearing the child’s voice calling to him, he went over to her, kissed her affectionately and fixed the tumbled blanket.

“Go to sleep, dear. It’s still a long way till morning,” he said.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve made a black toy, Assol. Now go to sleep.”

The next day the village buzzed with the news of Menners’ dissappearance. Five days later he was brought back, dying and full of malice. His story soon reached every village in the vicinity.