whenwaifsoftoastedcheeseandstraysofsardinesfriedinbatterslidlanguidlytoandfrointhetable-racks;whenthemanwhoalwaysreadhadshutuphisbook,andblownouthiscandle;whenthemanwhoalwaystalkedhadceasedfromtroubling;whenthemanwhowasalwaysmedicallyreportedasgoingtohavedeliriumtremenshadputitofftillto-morrow;whenthemanwhoeverynightdevotedhimselftoamidnightsmokeondecktwohoursinlength,andwhoeverynightwasinbedwithintenminutesafterwards,wasbuttoninghimselfupinhisthirdcoatforhishardyvigil:forthen,aswefelloffonebyone,and,enteringourseveralhutches,cameintoapeculiaratmosphereofbilge-waterandWindsorsoap,thevoicewouldshakeustothecentre。Woetouswhenwesatdownonoursofa,watchingtheswingingcandleforevertryingandretryingtostanduponhishead!orourcoatuponitspeg,imitatingusasweappearedinourgymnasticdaysbysustainingitselfhorizontallyfromthewall,inemulationofthelighterandmorefaciletowels!
Thenwouldthevoiceespeciallyclaimusforitsprey,andrendusalltopieces。
Lightsout,weinourberths,andthewindrising,thevoicegrowsangrieranddeeper。Underthemattressandunderthepillow,underthesofaandunderthewashing-stand,undertheshipandunderthesea,seemingtorisefromthefoundationsundertheearthwitheveryscoopofthegreatAtlanticandoh!whyscoopso?,alwaysthevoice。Vaintodenyitsexistenceinthenightseason;
impossibletobehardofhearing;screw,screw,screw!Sometimesitliftsoutofthewater,andrevolveswithawhirr,likeaferociousfirework,-exceptthatitneverexpendsitself,butisalwaysreadytogooffagain;sometimesitseemstobeinanguish,andshivers;sometimesitseemstobeterrifiedbyitslastplunge,andhasafitwhichcausesittostruggle,quiver,andforaninstantstop。Andnowtheshipsetsinrolling,asonlyshipssofiercelyscrewedthroughtimeandspace,dayandnight,fairweatherandfoul,CANroll。
Didsheevertakearollbeforelikethatlast?Didsheevertakearollbeforelikethisworseonethatiscomingnow?Hereisthepartitionatmyeardowninthedeepontheleeside。Areweevercomingupagaintogether?Ithinknot;thepartitionandIaresolongaboutitthatIreallydobelievewehaveoverdoneitthistime。Heavens,whatascoop!Whatadeepscoop,whatahollowscoop,whatalongscoop!Williteverend,andcanwebeartheheavymassofwaterwehavetakenonboard,andwhichhasletlooseallthetablefurnitureintheofficers’mess,andhasbeatenopenthedoorofthelittlepassagebetweenthepurserandme,andisswashingabout,eventhereandevenhere?Thepursersnoresreassuringly,andtheship’sbellsstriking,Ihearthecheerful’All’swell!’ofthewatchmusicallygivenbackthelengthofthedeck,asthelatelydivingpartition,nowhighinair,triesunsoftenedbywhatwehavegonethroughtogethertoforcemeoutofbedandberth。
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