"Lem - Automathew's Friend" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lem Stanislaw)

little cabin and listening with satisfaction to the clatter that
announced the raising of the anchor and the start of a great sea
voyage. For several days the white ship merrily sailed the waves
beneath a beaming sun, and at night, all silvered by the moon, it
rocked him to sleep, till early one morning a terrible storm broke.
Waves three times higher than the masts buffeted the ship, which
creaked and groaned in all its joints, and the din was so dreadful
that Automatthew did not hear a single word of the many comforting
things Alfred was no doubt whispering to him during those unpleasant
moments. Suddenly there was an ungodly crash, salt water burst into
the cabin, and before the horrified eyes of Automatthew the ship
began to come apart.
He ran out on deck just as he was, and had barely leaped into the
last lifeboat when a monstrous wave loomed up, fell upon the vessel
and pulled it down into the churning ocean depths. Automatthew did
not see a single member of the crew, he was alone in the lifeboat,
alone in the midst of the raging sea, and he trembled, certain that
the next roller would sink the little boat and him along with it.
The wind howled, from the low clouds torrents lashed the heaving
surface of the sea, and he still could not hear what Alfred had to
say to him. Then in the confusion he observed some blurry shapes
covered with a seething white; this was the shore of an unknown
land, upon which the waves were breaking. With a loud scrape the
boat ran aground on some rocks, and Automatthew, thoroughly drenched
and dripping salt water, set off on shaky legs, with the last of his
strength, seeking the refuge of the land's interior, as far away as
possible from the ocean waves. At the foot of a rock he sank to
earth and fell into a dreamless sleep of exhaustion.



Part 3. Friendly Advice
Back to: TOC | Lem
He was wakened by a tactful whistling. It was Alfred reminding him
of its friendly presence.
"Ah, how splendid that you're there, Alfred, only now do I see what
a good thing it is to have you with, or rather, in me!" cried
Automatthew, recovering his senses. He looked around. The sun was
shining, the sea was still choppy, but the menacing high waves had
disappeared, the thunderclouds, the rain. Unfortunately the boat had
disappeared as well. The storm must have raged in the night with
incredible force, sweeping up and carrying out to sea the boat that
had saved Automatthew. He jumped to his feet and began running along
the shore, only to return in ten minutes to the very same spot. He
was on a desert island, and a small one in the bargain. Not a
particularly encouraging state of affairs. But no matter, he had his
Alfred with him! He quickly informed it of just how things stood and
asked for some advice.
"Ha! Humph!" said Alfred. "A situation indeed! This will take a bit
of thought. What exactly do you require?"